Two men from New York City have been charged by federal authorities for distributing more than a million fake pills in Western New York. Shockingly, some of these counterfeit pills were found to contain fentanyl.
Prosecutors identified Edwin Miguel Batista of Queens, New York, as one of the suspects. According to court filings, he admitted to ordering the drugs from India and distributing them to post offices throughout Western New York.
Christopher Harzynski, the founder of Creative Restorations, an organization that provides support to individuals with addiction disorders, emphasizes the uncertainty regarding the amount of fentanyl present in these pills. He urges people to be aware that fentanyl is indeed present in them.
The authorities discovered that the counterfeit pill operation was centered around a storage facility near the Fashion Outlets. Specifically, they found bags of pills, a scale, and packaging material at unit B24 during their investigation.
Harzynski was relieved to hear that law enforcement is focusing on cracking down on major suppliers. He believes that this targeted approach will help decrease the availability of dangerous pills on the streets.
Although there has been a decrease in overdose numbers, Harzynski emphasizes that now is not the time to become complacent.