Rome – A fentanyl theft at a Roman hospital has investigators and government officials alike on high alert. Eighty vials of the highly potent opioid disappeared from the Ospedale Israelitico—an amount that authorities estimate could be used to produce up to 20,000 doses for the illegal market.
The circumstances of the crime are particularly puzzling: The vials were stored in a safe that showed no signs of forced entry. Several employees had access to the key. According to current information, the theft took place in two stages on June 22 and 24; the clinic did not file a police report until after the second incident. The investigation is focusing on about a dozen employees who had access to the key.
Fentanyl Theft Alarms the Government
The Rome Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation into theft and possession of narcotics with intent to distribute; the investigation is being conducted by the Carabinieri units (NAS) that specialize in health issues. One of the primary lines of inquiry is that the theft was commissioned with the intent to resell the goods on the black market.
The urgency of the situation is underscored by an emergency meeting convened on short notice at the government headquarters, Palazzo Chigi. Fentanyl is considered many times stronger than morphine and is responsible for numerous drug-related deaths in several countries. Controls along the entire distribution chain are now set to be tightened.
