The Hawaii High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, a federal drug task force, is warning the public about an influx of the powerful drug fentanyl, which has been linked to the deaths of at least two people on Hawaii island over the last week, to the islands.

What You Need To Know

  • The Hawaii HIDTA reported that a shipment of suspected powdered fentanyl and a “large amount” of so-called rainbow fentanyl pills was smuggled to Hawaii Island and distributed

  • According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, fentanyl is a hundred times more powerful than morphine and can be deadly even in very small doses

  • Between May and September, the DEA and local police around the country have seized more than 10 million fentanyl pills and hundreds of pounds of fentanyl powder

  • Rainbow fentanyl, pills produced in a variety of colors to entice younger users, were first detected in the United States in February and have been seized in at least 21 states, including Hawaii

In a threat bulletin released on Wednesday, the Hawaii HIDTA reported that a shipment of suspected powdered fentanyl and a “large amount” of so-called rainbow fentanyl pills was smuggled to Hawaii Island and distributed.

“The suspected powdered fentanyl has resulted in a high number of overdoses, with multiple fatalities,” the bulletin stated.

Hawaii HIDTA said it issued the alert to increase community awareness and advise first responders, health care providers and substance users and their families about the increased risk of overdose.

Among its recommendations for adjusting to the increased risk, Hawaii HIDTA advised law enforcement personnel and other first responders to carry naloxone, a medication used to reverse opioid overdose, and be prepared to use it even when non-opioids are suspected.

According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, fentanyl is a hundred times more powerful than morphine and can be deadly even in very small doses.

Fentanyl trafficking has been a recent point of emphasis for the DEA, which is targeting cartels in Mexico believed to be smuggling the drug into the United States. According to the DEA, the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels buy precursor chemicals from China and then traffic them into the U.S.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland recently said that between May and September, the DEA and local police around the country have seized more than 10 million fentanyl pills and hundreds of pounds of fentanyl powder.

The increase in fentanyl availability is suspected in a spike in drug overdose deaths in the United States. In the 12-month period ending April 2021, the total number of U.S. overdose deaths surpassed 100,000.

Hawaii ranks No. 40 in drug-overdose deaths with an average of 18.3 per year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Law-enforcement officials have also been sounding an alarm over the proliferation of rainbow fentanyl—fentanyl pills produced in a variety of colors to entice younger users. The pills were first detected in the United States in February and have been seized in at least 21 states, including Hawaii.

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii.