Officials are warning that a chemical used to protect plastic from ultraviolet light has possibly been mixed into the illicit drug supply circulating in Stanislaus County.
The warning comes after a traffic stop in Modesto in which suspected narcotics with the chemical was discovered, according to the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office.
The Modesto Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit were recently conducting an investigation related to the transportation and sales of narcotics. During a traffic stop related to the investigation, investigators located what they believed to be four kilograms of powdered cocaine. However, following testing at the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Forensic Services, the suspected cocaine was determined to be fentanyl mixed with an industrial chemical commonly known as BTMPS. BTMPS, which presents as a fine white powder indistinguishable from illicit drugs like cocaine and fentanyl, is designed to protect plastic from UV light. The chemical has appeared in multiple drug markets throughout the United States over the past few months, suggesting that BTMPS is being used as a “cutting agent” to increase the volume of the illegal drugs.
Based on the recent seizure, the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office, along with local law enforcement partners and Stanislaus County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, believes that this dangerous chemical may have been mixed into the drug supply in Stanislaus County.
Currently, there are no known scientific studies about the effect of ingestion on humans, including lasting health effects that drug users may suffer if they are exposed to BTMPS in large quantities. However, animal studies suggest that possible hazardous side effects of ingesting BTMPS include (but are not limited to) cellular mutations, respiratory and cardio toxicity, blindness, and sudden death.
Additionally, there is no non-laboratory test available to determine if BTMPS is present in drugs. If you or someone you know may have been exposed to BTMPS or may have ingested BTMPS, please call 911 and seek emergency medical services immediately.
