Three deaths and many accidental overdose cases have led Fishers Police to issue a public warning about counterfeit pills containing the drug fentanyl.

Police officials say overdoses are not only attributed to an individual abusing fentanyl, but also individuals consuming a drug they believe to be originally distributed by a licensed pharmacy. Pills such as oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percocet), hydrocodone (Vicodin), and alprazolam (Xanax), or other stimulants like amphetamines (Adderall), are being marketed as legitimate prescription pills and often sold on social media platforms.

Popular apps like Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Telegram, and Whisper allow teens to connect with local, as well as national drug dealers, and often remain anonymous.

Last month, officers assigned to the FPD Crime Reduction Unit seized more than 25,000 counterfeit pills believed to contain fentanyl.

The Fishers Police Department urges all Fishers’ residents to be aware of the dangers of counterfeit pills and to only take medications prescribed to them, by a medical professional, and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. For more information, visit www.DEA.gov/onepill