12 People Hospitalized in New Zealand After Consuming Powdered Fentanyl

12 People Hospitalized in New Zealand After Consuming Powdered Fentanyl
Plastic bags of Fentanyl are displayed on a table at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection area at the International Mail Facility at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Ill., on Nov. 29, 2017. Joshua Lott/File Photo via Reuters
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Twelve people have been hospitalized, with some in serious condition, as New Zealand police investigate the discovery of powdered fentanyl that was sold as cocaine or methamphetamine.

The people were hospitalized over the past 48 hours in Wairarapa, a region lying in the south-eastern corner of the North Island, with six of the twelve found unconscious. This is the first time powdered fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, has been discovered in the country.

Naveen Athrappully
Naveen Athrappully
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Naveen Athrappully is a news reporter covering business and world events at The Epoch Times.
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