Officials warn of new drug stronger than fentanyl that killed East Texas teen

HOPKINS COUNTY, Texas — Hopkins County investigators are warning the community of a new synthetic opioid that caused a 16-year-old girl to overdose in mid-July. 

It’s a drug that Hopkins County Investigator Sgt. Michael Russell called “25 times or more potent than fentanyl.” The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office identified three suspects believed to have been responsible for the teen’s fatal overdose. 

“We were thinking it was going to be a fentanyl overdose, but it was not fentanyl,” Russell said. 

According to Russell, the new synthetic opioid, N-Pyrrolidino Protonitazene, also known as pyro, is taking the place of fentanyl.

A toxicology report revealed a pyro was in her blood bloodstream. Pyro is a kind of nitazene, which is a strong synthetic opioid. Pills are usually the size of an aspirin. 

How this drug came to East Texas is part of the investigation. Russell said a lot of nitazenes come from China.

“It’s my understanding that Narcan is not touching this drug,” Russell said. 

Narcan is a nasal spray that is applied to people who overdose on fentanyl or other drugs. Some East Texas police agencies have Narcan at hand, but Russell said one dose is not enough to treat someone who overdosed on this new kind of nitazene. 

“One pill will kill you. (We are trying) to figure out why people are still taking these drugs. Why are you taking the fentanyl? Why are you taking the M30 pill? It will kill you,” said Hopkins County Sheriff Lewis Tatum. 

In January, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration listed nitazenes as an emerging threat nationwide because of its higher potency compared to fentanyl. It’s unclear if anyone else had access to this drug from the three suspects identified by Hopkins County officials. 

“Anything is possible as far as having possession of it because it’s everywhere,” Russell said. “It all depends on if you’re getting fentanyl or what type of nitazene that you’re getting. And nobody knows when they’re taking the pill what they’re taking and that’s what makes it so dangerous is that you don’t know what it is.”