The Douglas County Sheriff's Office says over the past 72 hours it has responded to three near fatal overdoses involving fake Percocet pills that actually contain fentanyl.

DCSO says patrol deputies used Naloxone, which counteracts the effects of opioids like fentanyl, to save the victims.

The pills can be either blue or white and have the letter “M” stamped on one side and the number “30” on the other side. Percocet is a prescription medication used to control moderate to severe pain and contains acetaminophen and oxycodone. Deputies say the counterfeit pills are manufactured in clandestine laboratories and look just like actual Percocet pills.

Fentanyl is an extremely powerful opioid analgesic that is 100 times more potent than morphine. The fentanyl is also manufactured in clandestine laboratories. DCSO says miniscule amounts of the fentanyl are then mixed with some other substance and then formed into the counterfeit Percocet pills using a tablet press.

DSCO says fentanyl is so potent that 2 milligrams is considered a lethal dose. To put that in perspective, they say there are 28.3 grams in an ounce, 1 milligram is 1/1000th of a gram. They say scales that drug traffickers use cannot weight these minute amounts, so the drug traffickers guess how much fentanyl to add to their pills. This results in a great number of these counterfeit pills containing lethal doses of fentanyl.

DCSO says the counterfeit pills are being sold on the street as legitimate Percocet pills and may also be called beans, biscuits, treats, blues M-30’s or thirties. 

ORIGINAL STORY: MARCH 2020

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office says fake Percocet pills are being sold locally that actually contain fentanyl. 

Percocet is a prescription medication used to control moderate to severe pain and contains acetaminophen and oxycodone.

Deputies say the counterfeit pills are made in clandestine laboratories and look very similar to an actual Percocet pill.

Fentanyl is an extremely powerful opioid analgesic that is 100 times more potent than morphine. The fentanyl is also manufactured in clandestine laboratories. Miniscule amounts of the fentanyl are then mixed with some other substance and then formed into the counterfeit Percocet pills using a tablet press.

Authorities say fentanyl is so potent that 2 milligrams is considered a lethal dose. To put that in perspective, there are 28.3 grams in an ounce, 1 milligram is 1/1000th of a gram. Deputies say the scales that drug traffickers use cannot weigh these minute amounts, so the drug traffickers guess how much fentanyl to add to their pills. This results in a great number of these counterfeit pills containing lethal doses of fentanyl.

The counterfeit pills are being sold on the street as legitimate Percocet pills and may also be called beans, biscuits, treats, blues or thirties. 

“I urge all parents, regardless of the age of your children, to take an active roll in your child’s business. Be nosey, ask questions and know where they are and who they are with at all times. These pills will kill your child and no response from the Sheriff’s Office or Fire Department will save them, it happens too fast," says Sheriff Dan Coverley.

Parents are urged to warn their teenage children about the extreme danger that these drugs pose.

(Douglas County Sheriff's Office contributed to this report.)