‘Rainbow Fentanyl’ a Growing Concern for Law Enforcement (Multi-Video)

Law enforcement professionals are increasingly concerned about rainbow fentanyl getting into the hands of young adults or children, who can mistake the drug for something else, such as candy or a toy, or those who may be willing to try the drug due to its playful coloring. (Courtesy of the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office)
Law enforcement professionals are increasingly concerned about rainbow fentanyl getting into the hands of young adults or children, who can mistake the drug for something else, such as candy or a toy, or those who may be willing to try the drug due to its playful coloring. (Courtesy of the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office)

While executing a recent search warrant, Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit (SIU) deputies found a new form of fentanyl that is considered to be more dangerous and potent than pressed pills.

At a suspect’s residence in Northeast Portland, deputies found body armor, $5,000 in cash, nine guns, some of which were modified and stolen, and drugs including meth, heroin, 800 pills of fentanyl, and four grams of multi-colored, powdered fentanyl, often referred to as ‘rainbow fentanyl.’

(Multnomah County Sheriff’s deputies seized rainbow-colored powdered fentanyl in NE Portland last week. Courtesy of The Oregonian and YouTube. Posted on Aug 16, 2022.)

Deputies are particularly concerned about rainbow fentanyl getting into the hands of young adults or children, who can mistake the drug for something else, such as candy or a toy, or those who may be willing to try the drug due to its playful coloring.

The powdered fentanyl found during this investigation resembles the color and consistency of sidewalk chalk.

Whether the colors are being used to indicate batches, indicate where the drug originated from, or who the drug producer was (branding), the danger of it being confused for candy is intensified.

Because whether a person, teen, or child intends to ingest it – or accidentally comes in contact with it, it could result in a fatal overdose. 

And teen overdoses are on the rise in the United States. 

Courtesy of Joseph Friedman, PhD, MPH and Twitter
Courtesy of Joseph Friedman, PhD, MPH and Twitter

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in May found that teen overdose rates doubled from 492 to 954 deaths, from  2019 to 2020, and went up another 20 percent in the first half of 2021.

Study author Joseph Friedman, an addictions researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles, said fentanyl was behind the rise in deaths, at the time. 

He called for more pragmatic teen education around drugs and access to naloxone and fentanyl testing strips as possible solutions.

The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office expressed gratitude to the Portland Police Bureau’s North and East Neighborhood Response Teams (NRT) for their assistance in this investigation.

“We are partnering with Multnomah County health departments to sound the alarm,” said SIU Sergeant Matt Ferguson.

“The public needs to be aware of the rising use of powdered fentanyl. We believe this is going to be the new trend seen on the streets of Portland.”

(Learn More. A five-day long, joint public safety mission resulted in two dozen arrests of wanted fugitives and significant weapons and drug seizures in the Portland metro area. Courtesy of Southern Oregon Scanner LLC and YouTube. Posted on Jun 16, 2022.)

Rainbow fentanyl warning

Officers seized 43 firearms, $300,000, four ounces of methamphetamine, one kilogram of cocaine, and two kilograms of fentanyl. According to the DEA, this image shows a potentially lethal amount of fentanyl. As little as 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal. One kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. This image shows a potentially lethal amount of fentanyl. (Courtesy DEA)
It only takes 2 milligrams of fentanyl to cause a fatal overdose. This image shows a potentially lethal amount of fentanyl. (Courtesy DEA)

It only takes 2 milligrams of fentanyl — about the weight of a few grains of salt — to cause a fatal overdose. Health officials last year began sounding the alarm after cheap, counterfeit opioid pills containing fentanyl began fueling an increase in fatal drug overdoses across the Portland Metro region.

According to the Oregon-Idaho HIDTA 2023 Threat Assessment, non-medical grade fentanyl has overtaken heroin and methamphetamine as the number one threat in our region. And because it is not medical-grade, it is difficult to determine potency and accurate dosing.

The rising use of powdered fentanyl and the brightly colored variations is cause for concern.

(DEA agents are reporting finding rainbow-colored fentanyl pills in the D.C. region, amid more of the pills being seized around the country. FOX 5 Washington DC and YouTube. Posted on Aug 20, 2022.)

Fentanyl in powder form generally has a higher potency than other forms of fentanyl. The colorful fentanyl powders are new to most law enforcement agencies.

Providers in recovery treatment also report being unfamiliar with the new form of fentanyl. 

“It’s not uncommon for drug forms to shift over time,” explained Julie Dodge, interim director of Behavioral Health for Multnomah County.

Julie Dodge, interim director of Behavioral Health for Multnomah County
Julie Dodge, interim director of Behavioral Health for Multnomah County

“That’s why the main message always has to be, we take a risk any time we take a substance that we don’t know who made it, and when there’s no quality control.”

Service providers in harm reduction said they have begun to see colored powder fentanyl circulating locally.

“We are seeing more powdered fentanyl that is dyed in various colors,” added Harm Reduction Supervisor Kelsi Junge.

“The strength can vary but is typically stronger than pressed pills.”

“Anyone that intends to use powdered fentanyl should follow principles of harm reduction by going slow, not using when you are alone, and ensuring that someone has narcan.”

Prevention & Intervention

People who choose to use drugs outside of a care plan developed with a healthcare provider should take steps to reduce the risk of overdose.

Don’t use alone, in case you or someone you’re with starts to overdose.

Signs of overdose include:

  • Pale or clammy skin

  • Bluish or pale lips and fingernails

  • Limp body

  • Slow or no breathing

  • Vomiting or foaming at the mouth

  • Difficult to or not able to awaken

(If kids are at a party or in a situation where Narcan is needed and not available, calling 9-1-1 immediately is your best bet. Courtesy of KOAA 5 and YouTube. Posted on Mar 29, 2022.)

Naloxone, a medication that counteracts the effects of opioids, can reverse an overdose.

Anyone who uses illicit drugs can get free fentanyl test strips and naloxone kits through Multnomah County Harm Reduction.

Learn more at multco.us/harmreduction. A person can test a pill with a fentanyl strip before consuming it.

Learn More…

DEA Recognized in 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program for Excellence

DEA Honored for the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Initiative at 2019 'ASTORS' Homeland Security Awards Luncheon at ISC East.
DEA Honored for the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Initiative at 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Luncheon at ISC East.

American Security Today’s Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards is the preeminent U.S. Homeland Security Awards Program, and now in its Seventh Year, continues to recognize industry leaders of Physical and Border Security, Cybersecurity, Emergency Preparedness – Management and Response, Law Enforcement, First Responders, as well as federal, state and municipal government agencies in the acknowledgment of their outstanding efforts to Keep our Nation Secure.

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

  • Excellence in Homeland Security

  • The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Initiative

  • The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day hosted by the DEA and its national, tribal and community partners aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications.

(Hear directly from then Acting DEA Administrator Uttam Dhillon. According to the CDC, almost 400,000 Americans died from prescription and illicit opioid overdoses between 1999 and 2017. In 2017, more than 2.1 million Americans were addicted to opioids. Courtesy of CBS This Morning and YouTube. Posted on Oct 22, 2019.)

American Security Today’s Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards is the preeminent U.S. Homeland Security Awards Program, and now entering it’s Seventh Year, continues to recognize industry leaders of Physical and Border Security, Cybersecurity, Emergency Preparedness – Management and Response, Law Enforcement, First Responders, as well as federal, state and municipal government agencies in the acknowledgment of their outstanding efforts to Keep our Nation Secure.

2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon (starting front row, left to right) SIMS Software President & CEO Michael Struttmann; TENEO Risk Advisory Executive Chairman Commissioner Bill Bratton; NEC National Security Systems President Dr. Kathleen Kiernan; TSA Administrator David Pekoske; Fortior Solutions General Counsel Katherine Cowan; NEC Corporation of America Senior Vice President & Chief Experience Officer Raffie Beroukhim; TENEO Risk Advisory Chief of Staff David Cagno; Infragard National Board Member Doug Farber, Lumina Analytics Co-Founder & Chairman Allan Martin, and AMAROK Senior Vice President Sales & Marketing Mike Dorrington.
2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon (starting front row, left to right) SIMS Software President & CEO Michael Struttmann; TENEO Risk Advisory Executive Chairman Commissioner Bill Bratton; NEC National Security Systems President Dr. Kathleen Kiernan; TSA Administrator David Pekoske; Fortior Solutions General Counsel Katherine Cowan; NEC Corporation of America Senior Vice President & Chief Experience Officer Raffie Beroukhim; TENEO Risk Advisory Chief of Staff David Cagno; Infragard National Board Member Doug Farber, Lumina Analytics Co-Founder & Chairman Allan Martin, and AMAROK Senior Vice President Sales & Marketing Mike Dorrington.

The Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards highlight the most cutting-edge and forward-thinking security solutions coming onto the market today, to ensure our readers have the information they need to stay ahead of the competition and keep our Nation safe – one facility, street, and city at a time.

Thomas Richardson, FDNY Chief of Department; Dr. Kathleen Kiernan, President of NEC National Security Systems; and Richard Blatus, FDNY Assistant Chief of Operations at the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon at ISC East.

AST Honors Thomas Richardson, FDNY Chief of Department; Dr. Kathleen Kiernan, President of NEC National Security Systems; and Richard Blatus, FDNY Assistant Chief of Operations, at the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon at ISC East.

The United States was forever changed 20 years ago on September 11th, and we were fortunate to have many of those who responded to those horrific tragedies join us at the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon.

In the days that followed 9/11, the critical needs of protecting our country catapulted us into new and innovative ways to secure our homeland – which is how many of the agencies and enterprise organizations that are today ‘ASTORS’ Awards Champions, came into being.

Our keynote speaker TSA Administrator David Pekoske delivered a moving and timely address on the strategic priorities of the 64,000 member TSA workforce in securing the transportation system, enabling safe, and in many cases, contactless travel, and more (Be sure to see Interview.)
TSA Administrator David Pekoske addressing attendees at the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon in New York City on November 17, 2021. (Be sure to see AST Exclusive Interview, facilitated by Dr. Kathleen Kiernan HERE.)

Our 2021 keynote speaker featured a moving and informative address from TSA Administrator and Vice-Admiral of the United States Coast Guard (Ret), David Pekoske; to our attendees who traveled from across the United States and abroad, on the strategic priorities of the 64,000 member TSA workforce in securing the transportation system, enabling safe, and in many cases, contactless travel.

Commissioner Bill Bratton signing copies of his latest work, ‘The Profession: A Memoir of Community, Race, and the Arc of Policing in America,’ at the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon. (Be sure to see AST Exclusive Interview with Comm Bratton, facilitated by Dr. Kathleen Kiernan HERE.)

Legendary Police Commissioner William Bratton of the New York Police Department, the Boston Police Department, and former Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department was also live at the event, meeting with attendees and signing copies of his latest work ‘The Profession: A Memoir of Community, Race, and the Arc of Policing in America,’ courtesy of the generosity of our 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Premier Sponsors.

The 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program is Proudly Sponsored by New PLATINUM SPONSOR: NEC National Security Systems (NSS), New Premier Sponsors Rajant Corporation, and guardDog AI, and returning Sponsors ATI Systems, Automatic Systems, RX Global, and SIMS Software!

The continually evolving ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program will emphasize the trail of Accomplished Women in Leadership in 2022, as well as the Significance and Positive Impact of Advancing Diversity and Inclusion in our Next Generation of Government and Industry Leaders. #MentorshipMatters

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Team TSA
Honoring the 20th anniversary of the Transportation Security Administration (Team TSA at the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon.)

In 2021 over 200 distinguished guests representing Federal, State, and Local Governments, and Industry Leading Corporate Firms gathered from across North America, Europe, and the Middle East to be honored among their peers in their respective fields which included:

Register for the 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Luncheon Today

In a typical year, DEAC Sabatino oversees the facilitation of legitimate travel for more than 410 million travelers in the air, land, and maritime environments.
Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner (DEAC) Diane J. Sabatino of the Office of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

American Security Today is delighted to announce, that Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner (DEAC) Diane J. Sabatino of the Office of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), will be the opening keynote speaker at the much-anticipated 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon, on Wednesday, November 16th, 2022.

American Security Today’s Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards is the preeminent U.S. Homeland Security Awards Program, and now in its Seventh Year, continues to recognize industry leaders of Physical and Border Security, Cybersecurity, Emergency Preparedness – Management and Response, Law Enforcement, First Responders, as well as federal, state and municipal government agencies in the acknowledgment of their outstanding efforts to Keep our Nation Secure.

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21 Members of Multi-State Fentanyl, Meth & Coke Trafficking Ring Arrested