Drugs at Prince’s estate were disguised as typical pain pills, but were actually fentanyl

Some of the pills taken from Prince’s estate in Paisley Park after his death were counterfeit drugs that actually contained fentanyl — a synthetic opioid 50 times more powerful than heroin, an official close to the investigation said Sunday.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation, said nearly two dozen pills found in one Aleve bottle were falsely labelled as “Watson 385.” According to Drugs.com, that stamp is used to identify typical pain pills containing a mix of acetaminophen and hydrocodone, but the official said at least one of the pills tested positive for fentanyl.

Autopsy results released in June show Prince died April 21 of an accidental fentanyl overdose. The official said records show the 57-year-old Prince had no prescription for any controlled substances in the state of Minnesota in the 12 months before he died.

Authorities are still investigating how Prince obtained the drugs.

Fentanyl has been responsible for a surge in overdose deaths in some parts of the country. When made into counterfeit pills, users don’t always know they’re taking fentanyl, increasing the risk of fatal overdose.