ANNAPOLIS, MD — Autopsy results have determined a third Anne Arundel County resident died from an overdose caused by the powerful synthetic opioid carfentanil, officials have confirmed to Patch. The drug is an elephant tranquilizer hundreds of times more powerful than heroin responsible for four confirmed overdose deaths in the state, including one in Frederick County from an apparent overdose from the synthetic opioid.

Recent toxicology results revealed the presence of carfentanil in a victim, Anne Arundel County Police spokesman Marc Limansky said. "Detectives are working to determine where the drugs are coming from, which will hopefully tell us us how they're getting them," he said. Two weeks ago Maryland Public Health Services issued a statewide warning about the deadly drug beig sold on the streets. Deputy Secretary Howard Haft He urged substance abusers to find location-based treatment resources at MdDestinationRecovery.org or through the 24/7 Maryland Crisis Hotline, 1-800-422-0009, before it's too late. Earlier this year Gov. Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency to fight the opioid epidemic and to cut through red tape to foster more effective agency collaboration.

The autopsy of a 51-year-old Pasadena man showed carfentanil in his system when he died, WTOP reports. Every police and fire station in Anne Arundel County is now a "Safe Station," whose personnel can put heroin and opioid addicts in touch with recovery services. The program was announced in April by county and Annapolis city officials. The county's program launch came a week after a troubling string of six drug overdoses in 24 hours. Three of the overdose cases were in Glen Burnie, one in Arnold, one in Linthicum and one in Annapolis, police told Patch. Officers used Naloxone on two victims, while department personnel used it on one victim; the drug can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose and restore breathing.

Most overdoses in the county in the past year have been tied to the use of opioids including heroin, plus prescription drugs methadone, fentanyl, Percocet and OxyContin. In September 2016, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency issued a warning about carfentanil, which is 10,000 times deadlier than morphine and 100 times deadlier than fentanyl, which is 50 times deadlier than heroin. Improper handling of carfentanil, as well as fentanyl and other fentanyl-related compounds, has deadly consequences, federal authorities said.

"Carfentanil is surfacing in more and more communities," DEA Acting Administrator Chuck Rosenberg said in a news release. "We see it on the streets, often disguised as heroin. It is crazy dangerous."

The synthetic opioid carfentanil was detected by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in the performance of autopsies on the overdose victims, said Maryland Department of Health and Mental Secretary Dennis R. Schrader.