DEA finds purple fentanyl with animal tranquilizer in El Paso
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- El Paso's DEA said they found purple fentanyl with xylazine, a type of animal tranquilizer.
This type of opioid has been found in the country before, but the DEA says this is the first time that they've found it in this region.
"It's 50 times more powerful than heroin. It's 100 times more powerful than morphine. Only two milligrams could potentially kill you. But now you add an animal tranquilizer," said Carlos Briano, the public information officer for the El Paso DEA.
They seized 16 kilograms of the fentanyl. He said it's more potent than other types of fentanyl because the tranquilizer makes the high much more potent, and makes it harder to get out of an overdose.
ABC-7 spoke with the El Paso Fire Department as well, who agreed with Briano. They said from the beginning of 2025 until November, there were 79 overdoses across the city, and just about every part of town is seeing them.
"The animal tranquilizers is new," said Captain Jeffery Park. "They're always looking for new ways to put fentanyl into different things. We are finding that patients are needing more than one dose of Narcan, even more than that to be able to get them out of it."
The DEA has more information about what new things they have found with fentanyl. You can find the information here.
If you or a loved one is suffering from an opioid addiction, call the crisis hotline at 988. The El Paso Fire Department also has a Mobile Integrated Health Team, which will go to a family of an overdose, provide Narcan, education, referrals, and treatment. Contact the EPFD for more information on how to get involved.
