Rainbow Fentanyl and Beyond: Latest Illicit Drug Trends on the Street

Monday, April 10, 2023

2:30 PM – 3:45 PM

Location: Grand Ballroom Section ABCD - OMNI

Presenter(s)

Thomas Farmer

Special Agent in Charge / State Director
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation / Tennessee Dangerous Drugs Task Force
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Max Dorsey, II

Sheriff
Chester County, South Carolina
Chester, South Carolina
HR

Henry C. Ritter

Lieutenant, Narcotics and Special Investigations
Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office
Chattanooga, Tennessee

Moderator(s)

David Hamby

National Coordinator
National Emerging Threats Initiative
Norcross, Georgia

Since 2014 illicit fentanyl has seen a dramatic increase in drug seizures and is the number one contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the United States. Drug traffickers have replaced heroin with the synthetic opioid fentanyl using new tactics, including marketing techniques that evolve quickly. For example, the DEA issued a warning in August 2022 about drug traffickers using brightly colored fentanyl pills ― “rainbow fentanyl” ― in a deliberate effort to drive addiction among children and young adults. This session will examine drug trafficking supply methods, marketing, and the adulteration of the fentanyl supply.

Learning Objectives:

Identify rainbow fentanyl and the current trends associated with the drug
Describe how fentanyl is trafficked at the street level and what it looks like upon initial importation
Identify evolving trends currently seen with fentanyl, including growing adulterations of other drugs
Discuss polydrug substances combined with fentanyl and the synergistic effects they may have