7 overdoses linked to tainted drugs: Manitoba RCMP

April 24, 2023 Canuck

The Manitoba RCMP is connecting seven overdoses in the province to a tainted drug source.

Six of these overdoses took place in The Pas, and one took place in Thompson.

Police began to investigate the tainted drugs on Saturday night, when they received a report of four unresponsive men at an establishment on Fischer Avenue in The Pas. Officers said these men had taken drugs, which were possibly ecstasy laced with an opioid.

Officers and emergency responders treated the men with naloxone. Three of the men, aged 33, 37 and 46, were revived and taken to the hospital.

The fourth man, 31-year-old Harlan Fourre, was taken to the hospital and later flown to the Brandon Regional Health Centre where he remains in critical condition.

Hours after the first call, RCMP received two more reports of overdoses at the same location. Two men were taken the hospital where they were treated and released.

The investigation continued on Sunday around 4:30 p.m. in Thompson, when a nurse at the Thompson General Hospital handed over a small box to an officer, who was at the hospital on an unrelated matter.

The officer examined the box, which contained seven vials of a crystal-like powder substance. RCMP notes that each vial contained about one gram of a suspected drug.

The RCMP officer went back to the detachment and did a field test on the powder substance. The test indicated the presence of an opioid. A sample of this drug has been sent for further analysis.

Supplied image of the field test results for the tainted drugs.

Police believe the drugs found in Thompson may be the same substance found in The Pas, which led to the overdoses of six men. One overdose in Thompson is also believed to be linked to these tainted drugs.

Anyone with information is asked to call 204-627-6204 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

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