‘Death disguised as candy:’ Rainbow fentanyl found in Ohio, AG says

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WXIX) - A deadly colorful pill, known as rainbow fentanyl, has been confiscated for the first time in Ohio, Attorney General Dave Yost announced Tuesday.

Over 1,000 brightly colored pills that look similar to candy were seized by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation in a drug trafficking bust.

“Do not be fooled by appearances – rainbow fentanyl is death disguised as candy,” Yost said. “The bottom line is this: If you’re taking a pill that wasn’t prescribed by your doctor, you can’t be certain of what you are consuming.”

According to Yost, the pills came from Mexico.

“We’re certainly proud of the diligent work of our Special Investigations Unit and BCI’s lab,” Franklin County Chief Deputy Rick Minerd said. “The sad reality is, drug traffickers continue to stoop to all-time lows, marketing their deadly products to Americans of all ages for the sole purpose of monetizing addiction.”

Fentanyl comes in multiple forms, including colored powders and in combination with other drugs, BCI reported. However, this investigation is the first instance of rainbow fentanyl.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency has warned it is a deliberate effort by traffickers to mask fentanyl “in a form attractive to young Americans.”

In 2022, the BCI’s lab found fentanyl in 9,151 items that were submitted by law enforcement agencies, making up 22.1% of all drug analyses. As of May 2023, the BCI lab has processed 2,306 items containing fentanyl, Yost said.

The Attorney General encourages all agencies to treat all drug evidence as if it were just as hazardous as fentanyl.

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