In the recent months, Investigators assigned to the Austin County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) Narcotics Division have witnessed an increase in the seizure of the illegal drug MDMA, which is commonly referred to as Ecstasy and/or Molly. MDMA is a synthetic drug similar to stimulants and hallucinogens. During the course of recent investigations, ACSO Investigators have learned after testing confiscated pills being sold as Ecstasy, that these pills actually contain the Synthetic opioid Fentanyl.
Fentanyl is an opioid that can be up to 100 times stronger that morphine. In 2016 the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued a warning that pills being sold illegally across the country contained fentanyl. These pills were being represented and sold on the “street” as prescription medicine such as Xanax, OxyContin, and other pain medications. Due to this, Law Enforcement Agencies have witnessed a large number of fatal fentanyl overdoses nationwide. MDMA (Ecstasy) is now added to that list of illegal drugs more commonly found to contain fentanyl, which is now being linked to the overdose and death of many teenagers.
The ACSO is asking parents to please talk with their children and teenagers about these dangers and make them aware of the consequences. These illegal pills are designed to look like the real thing and the user has no way of knowing what they are actually ingesting. Investigators want the public to understand that using this drug just one time can be deadly. For more information, please contact Sergeant Matt Walls at the Austin County Sheriff’s Office (979) 865-3111
