Customs warns against abuse of carfentanil

Finnish Customs has recently detected a new drug named carfentanil, the strongest known opioid used as a narcotic and medicinal substance new to Finland.

In other countries, carfentanil is sold as narcotics because it is inexpensive and it is possible that this is also done in Finland, said a Customs press release.

Carfentanil, like other fentanyls, depresses the central nervous system and can therefore cause sudden asphyxia leading to death. Even mere handling of carfentanil is dangerous, because the substance can also be absorbed through inhalation and skin contact.

Carfentanil belongs to the group of fentanyls and is a synthetic opioid manufactured in laboratory conditions.

It is used legally as an animal drug, e.g. as a tranquiliser for large animals. The substance is the strongest known opioid, up to 10,000 times stronger than morphine, and therefore extremely dangerous if misused.

It is not possible to measure a single dose that would be safe for a human, as around 0.03 milligrams of carfentanil is lethal to an adult. In comparison, 30 milligrams of heroin or around 3 milligrams of fentanyl (1,000 times stronger than morphine) is a lethal dose to an adult.

The extremely dangerous carfentanil is sold as other narcotics due to its low purchase price.

Online, one kilo carfentanil can be bought wholesale for a couple of thousand euros. When sold online on black marketplaces, wholesale quantities of carfentanil can yield around a 1,000-fold profit.

Carfentanil is sold illegally online in powder form and dissolved in liquid. Usually the powder is sold by milligram. For example, 50 milligrams (0.05 grams) could be enough for as many as 1,670 doses that are lethal to an adult human.

Carfentanil dissolved in liquid is usually sold as a 0.75–1.5 mg/ml solution in 20 ml bottles. This amount could be enough for as many as 1,000 doses that are lethal to an adult human.

Carfentanil has not been classified as a narcotic by the UN convention or nationally in Finland, where carfentanil is considered a medicinal substance. By the end of June 2017, seizures of carfentanil have been reported to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), e.g. by the following EU countries: Sweden, Belgium, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and the UK. Carfentanil has also been detected at least in Norway and Serbia. Deaths related to the use of carfentanil have occurred in Europe.