A Wood Buffalo RCMP officer is among three people reported to have been affected by a possible cross-contaminated drug during a police call at Janvier on Friday. Wood Buffalo RCMP say they were taking an unresponsive Janvier man, believed to be suffering from a drug overdose, for further medical help, when the assisting officer fell unconscious. A Janvier man who reported finding a white powder on his driveway a few hours later was also treated for medical distress.
Police are now issuing an alert to the region's residents about the possibility that street level drugs may be laced with drugs from the opioid family.
News release from the Wood Buffalo RCMP:
Wood Buffalo RCMP attended a residence in Janvier, administered narcan to an unconscious adult male and then transported the conscious male to the Janvier airstrip to await further medical assistance. A second RCMP officer attended the airstrip and found the first RCMP officer in medical distress, who then went unconscious in the police vehicle. Narcan was administered to the unconscious police officer, who was then transported by the regional emergency medical services ground ambulance.
An hour and a half later, at approximately 7:30 p.m., Wood Buffalo RCMP responded to a call for help from another residence located in Janvier, unrelated to the first. An adult male advised he had picked up an unknown white substance from the ground along a driveway, and was in medical distress. This male was transported to local hospital via ground ambulance.
Preliminary investigation reveals the first RCMP officer was cross contaminated with an unknown drug substance. Police would like to bring awareness to local residents of the possibility that street level drugs in our region may be unknowingly laced with drugs from the opioid family, such as fentanyl, carfentanil, or methamphetamines.
Wood Buffalo RCMP continue to investigate.
Police are requesting residents to contact Wood Buffalo RCMP at 780-788-4040 if they find any suspicious substances, and avoid contact with it. If you have any information regarding any suspicious incidents, or have knowledge of any drug activity in our region, please contact the Wood Buffalo RCMP, or your local police. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-545-8477 (TIPS).
