Counterfeit Pills Made With Carfentanil Poison Three In Northfield, MN

Source: Northfield MN Police Department

As reported by Go MN, test results shared by the Northfield Police Department showed that oxycodone pills tied to three non-fatal poisonings were counterfeit and contained both carfentanil, a synthetic opioid 10,000 times more powerful than morphine, and cocaine. Naloxone revived the victims in Northfield, but a medical examiner found that carfentanil played a role in at least 11 deaths in three Twin Cities counties in the span of just a few months in 2017.

CBS Minnesota reported that 22-year-old Joshua Edward Tarka was charged in connection with the case. Although he was in possession of several of the pills when police picked him up, he denied selling them to anyone. Two of the victims identified him as the person who sold them the dangerous pills and said Tarka had been in possession of between 20 to 30 pills at the time of those sales. His bail was set at $500,000. Police arrested a second suspect, 20-year-old Josh Chlan, and found additional pills that looked identical to the ones seized from Tarka.

In a press release from the Northfield Police Department, the police said the pills were made to look like “Oxy” and are small, round, blue pills with “K 9” stamped on them. There are concerns that more of these pills are still out there and warned that if anyone is in possession of any of these pills, they should not take them. Turning them into law enforcement so the pills can be tested is the safest option and will not result in any charges.