Booneville is a picturesque small city near the Mississippi and Tennessee state line with a population of about 8,700.

“It’s the first time we have had this problem,” Booneville Police Chief Michael Ramey said Tuesday.

The problem: Two people have died and three others have been hospitalized since last weekend after taking drugs containing fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl.

Ramey said evidence gathered from one of the scenes was taken to the Mississippi Forensics Laboratory and tested positive for fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl, which can come in pill or powder form.

“We want to make the public aware of how dangerous these substances are,” Ramey said. “We just want to get it out that these are very deadly drugs.”

It’s the first time Booneville has experienced such a problem with drug overdoses, Ramey said.

Acetyl fentanyl and fentanyl are potent synthetic opioids. Acetyl fentanyl has been linked linked recently to a number of overdoses in the United States, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics Director John Dowdy said recently that MBN is finding the most prevalent drugs are counterfeit pills containing fentanyl.

Ramey warns if a person comes into contact with these substances, do not touch them due to the potential potency. He said to immediately notify the Booneville PD at (662) 728-5611 or the  tip line at (662) 728-1230.

“This is still an ongoing investigation with our agency, the Northeast Mississippi Narcotics Unit, and the Mississippi  Bureau of Narcotics,” Ramey said.

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Contact Jimmie E. Gates at 601-961-7212 or jgates@gannett.com. Follow @jgatesnews on Twitter.

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