Drug Bust In Ohio Reveals Deadly Elephant Tranquilizer Disguised As Oxycodone Pills

Ohio authorities said a recent drug bust involved pills marked as oxycodone that were in fact carfentanil, a synthetic opioid 100 times more potent than fentanyl used by veterinarians to anesthetize very large animals such as elephants and rhinoceroses.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost on Thursday highlighted the recent drug trafficking case in Pickerington to call attention to the importance of “advanced chemical testing to identify emerging drug trends.”

“Drug traffickers disguise deadly drugs as prescription pills to smuggle them into our communities,” Yost said. “The bottom line is this: If youre taking a pill that wasnt prescribed by your doctor, you risk an overdose or death.” 

Jorge Santillan, 41, of Indianapolis, was indicted on March 5 on charges of aggravated drug trafficking, a first-degree felony, aggravated drug possession, a fifth-degree felony, and illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia, a fourth-degree misdemeanor. The investigation by the Pickerington Police Department is ongoing, and additional charges are expected.

Santillan allegedly possessed bags of pills marked as oxycodone and multiple bags containing “a powdery substance,” which were sent to the AG’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) laboratory for analysis. The pills, which were marked to mimic pharmaceutical oxycodone, were found to be carfentanil, which is 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl.

Carfentanil is not approved for use in humans. The drug is used by veterinarians to anesthetize large animals including elephants and rhinoceroses.

The powder substance, meanwhile, contained more than 200 grams of fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl (PFF), a fentanyl analog that authorities say is commonly combined with other narcotics.

“Kudos to Pickerington Police Chief Tod Cheney and his detectives for getting these pills off the street before they could wreak havoc,” Yost said. “Fairfield County Prosecuting Attorney Kyle Witt has already brought charges against this alleged trafficker, and we look forward to supporting his prosecution.”

Authorities said carfentanil was at its peak in Ohio in 2017, when the BCI lab detected it in 1,119 drug samples. After declining to just nine samples in 2023, its prevalence began rising again. In 2024, carfentanil was found in 40 drug samples, and it has been found in 32 drug samples during the first four months on 2025.

BCI has evaluated approximately 65 different fentanyl compounds to date, even identifying one that had not been previously reported by other drug labs in the country. The lab continues to monitor drug evidence for new fentanyl analogs, which each have a slightly different chemical structure.