Deadly drug Carfentanyl is 10,000 times more powerful than heroin, morphine

Law enforcement and health professionals are issuing a warning against a new drug that is more powerful than heroin and is extremely deadly.

Carfentanyl is said to have a potency 10,000 times higher than morphine or pure heroin and 100 times more powerful than fentanyl. It is an animal tranquilizer normally used to sedate bears and elephants.

The drug was recently intercepted at a mail center in Australia. It is relatively new there with one confirmed detection in Sydney in December 2016 and now this most recent detection in Queensland.

"Because of its capacity to cause death, it is important we get the message out as soon as possible to the community," Detective Superintendent Jon Wacker of the QPS Drug and Serious Crime Group said.

Officials say it is unclear how the drug will be marketed there, whether it is sold in its pure form or if it's mixed with other drugs.

"Either way, we know this drug is lethal and we need to get the warnings out now," said Wacker.

In the United States, drug dealers are mixing the drug with their heroin to make it more powerful. The combination is being blamed for the increasing numbers of fatal overdoses in the U.S.

According to officials, 0.002mg is enough to kill a person.