A deadly synthetic opioid up to 40 times more potent than fentanyl is being smuggled into Canada using household items like teapots, basketballs, and PlayStation consoles, according to a CBC News investigation. The drug, part of a class of compounds called nitazenes, is increasingly turning up in drug busts and autopsy reports across the country, killing hundreds of Canadians — often without users even knowing they consumed it.
In a secretly recorded video call, a seller using the alias “Kim” brazenly described his menu of drugs — including cocaine, MDMA, meth, and nitazenes — available for international delivery. When a CBC journalist asked if nitazenes can kill, Kim replied chillingly, “That is the game.” CBC’s visual investigation team, working in collaboration with open-source investigators from Bellingcat, identified over a dozen drug dealers through openly posted online ads. The dealers operated through platforms like LinkedIn, Reddit, X (formerly Twitter), Behance (owned by Adobe), and Indian e-commerce websites, offering synthetic opioids for sale with direct contact details included.
While no illegal purchases were made by the CBC, the investigation revealed just how easy it is to connect with drug traffickers operating through public forums. Dealers shared photos and videos of labs, showed samples of product, and explained exactly how they smuggle the drugs into Canada. Techniques included mislabeling packages and hiding the drugs inside gaming consoles, sporting goods, teapots, and herbal medicine boxes, then shipping them via courier or mail.
In one case, a seller offered same-day delivery from Detroit to Windsor. Another claimed they could deliver protonitazepyne, a nitazene analog, via disguised packages through Canada Post. This class of synthetic opioids, though virtually unknown to the general public, is categorized as a Schedule 1 controlled substance in Canada and has never been approved for medical use.
Data obtained by CBC from coroners across Canada, though incomplete, indicates nearly 400 deaths since 2021 have been directly linked to nitazenes or strongly suspected to involve them. Alberta has reported 121 deaths, Quebec 91, and British Columbia 81. Experts believe these numbers are a significant undercount due to inconsistent toxicology testing and limited lab capabilities. “If they’re not looking for it, you can’t find it,” said forensic toxicologist Donna Papsun of NMS Labs in Pennsylvania, which regularly tests samples from Canada.
The true impact of nitazenes is perhaps best captured by families already affected. Montreal father Christian Boivin lost his 15-year-old son, Mathis, to a nitazene-laced pill in 2024. “It makes me angry,” he said. “They don’t have a conscience. They just want money… they don’t care about lives.”
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has also expressed alarm. Dan Anson, CBSA’s director general of intelligence and investigations, confirmed that nitazenes are now considered an emerging and growing threat. “Online ads are how this market functions right now,” he said, describing how sellers exploit global e-commerce platforms to advertise the drugs using keywords and images designed to evade content moderation.
Following CBC’s inquiries, several platforms including LinkedIn, Adobe’s Behance, and Reddit removed the flagged listings. Indian platforms like Dial4Trade, Exporters India, and TradeIndia also took down listings or added restrictions. However, X did not respond to requests for comment, and some flagged posts remained live at the time of publication.
CBC also found that many of the so-called companies involved are registered with false addresses or under misleading names. In one instance, a vendor listed as a Chinese biotech firm selling “Etonitazene Powder” used a fake Shanghai address. When questioned, a man identified only as “Jerry” admitted in a phone call that the company’s address was fabricated to avoid Chinese law enforcement. “It’s very dangerous to sell in China,” he said.
While drug enforcement agencies race to catch up, the market for nitazenes is growing in scope and complexity. Unlike traditional opioids, nitazenes are often mixed into counterfeit prescription pills, making them nearly impossible for users to identify. These ultra-potent drugs, trafficked through digital storefronts and disguised in consumer goods, represent a new frontier in Canada’s toxic drug crisis.