Edmonton police seize synthetic opioids that resemble Xanax medication
Posted July 14, 2025 5:09 pm.
Edmonton police say they’ve seized synthetic opioids that resemble name-brand anti-anxiety medications.
EPS says on June 19, officers intercepted a package that contained hundreds of pills that resemble “Xanax” medication.
Several samples were sent to be tested at Health Canada’s Drug Analysis Service, which is where it was determined that the pills were made with a highly potent opioid known as isotonitazene.
“This powerful synthetic opioid, disguised as the prescription drug Xanax, is extremely concerning,” says Staff Sgt. Marco Antonio with the EPS’ Edmonton Drug and Gang Enforcement Section. “Unfortunately, the seizure of these pills is another example of how drug traffickers are manufacturing an array of synthetic opioid variants that can easily be portrayed as other medications, unbeknownst to the consumer.”
EPS has described the pills as “containing isotonitazene, (which) can be described as grey in appearance and in the shape of a rectangle. The pill imprint ‘ONAX’ is located on one side of the pill and ‘2’ is located on the other side.”
Police believe the street value of the pills that were seized is around $5,000.
At this time, no arrests have been made.
EPS is also warning the public that medications that aren’t prescribed directly by a medical professional are never safe to ingest and pose a risk to health and safety.
