Border Officers Intercept ‘Poisonous’ Narcan-Resistant Drug Xylazine

Border protection officers in Philadelphia have announced the interception of a deadly drug that is Narcan-resistant.
Xylazine, a tranquilizer used for large animals that authorities have determined is being mixed with opioids like fentanyl and heroin, has no known antidote. Narcan, the medication that helps to prevent opioid overdose deaths, cannot protect someone from a xlyazine overdose.
The most recent parcel seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers had arrived in the state via express air delivery from Spain on Thursday and was labelled, “mica powder for makeup.”
After testing, it was revealed to be a package of around 1kg of xylazine hydrochloride, also known as “tranq.”
On September 16 and 5, another kilo of the drug on both days had been seized by the border protection officers, where both parcels had also arrived from Spain and were on route to addresses in Philadelphia.
There is a pending investigation into the drug seizures.
CBP’s Area Port of Philadelphia Director Adam Streetman said: “Customs and Border Protection officers know the challenges our country faces in protecting our citizens from the deadly threats posed by dangerous drugs trafficked by transnational criminal organizations, including dangerous synthetics like xylazine, and from fentanyl and fentanyl precursors.”
He added that the CBP “remains committed to intercepting this poison at our nation’s borders and ports of entry, and will continue working with our local, federal, and international partners to hold these organizations accountable.”
Every day, CBP officers and agents seize an average of 2,339 pounds of drugs, including 78 pounds of fentanyl, at America’s air, sea, and land ports of entry.
Xylazine is a cheap drug and can be bought online, adding to the concern of authorities, with common prices being listed on Chinese suppliers’ sites ranging between $6-$20 per kilogram, according to the DEA.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have both previously issued warnings about the drug as the threat to the users and communities across the country grows.
An FDA warning from November last year explained the drug parcels are often packaged to look like approved drugs or is declared to the CBP as something other than xylazine.
The FDA also explained that not only is there an increased risk of overdose, as those taking the substance may not even realize xylazine is in their supply, but also that it can cause chronic wounds like lesions and ulcers, following injection, which can result in infections and cause the skin in the die in that area and rot.
This condition often requires limb amputation or surgery to remove the rotting tissue.
Other side effects of taking the drug include blurry vision, coma, constricted pupils, disorientation, drowsiness, high blood sugar, low blood pressure and low heart rate, shallowing breathing and staggering, according to Cleveland Clinic.
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