The Drug Enforcement Administration confirms Arizona's first carfentanil overdose reported.
A 21-year-old man was found dead in the driver's seat of his car outside a restaurant in late 2017.
The Maricopa County Medical Examiner's report confirmed the presence of carfentanil, but the source of the drug is still unknown.
DEA officials and their Heroin Enforcement Action Team is investigating.
Carfentanil is a synthetic opioid with a "potency 10,000 times that of morphine and is used in veterinary proactive to immobilize certain large animals," according to DEA's Drug Fact sheet.
“Carfentanil is an extremely dangerous drug, and its presence in Arizona should be incredibly alarming for all of us, including the DEA and our law enforcement partners who continue to combat the opioid epidemic in this state,” said Doug Coleman, Special Agent in Charge of DEA in Arizona.
If you are a concerned citizen or have any information about illicit drug activity, contact the local DEA office at (602) 664-5600 or visit www.dea.gov.