KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Knoxville law enforcement said it is finding more illegal drugs that include food dye, as dealers color drugs as a "marketing tactic." Lt. Josh Shaffer, a lieutenant with the Knoxville Police Department's Organized Crime Unit, said pink is the most common color officers have found so far.
Among the colored drugs officers have found is "Pink Heroin." It's name can be misleading, Shaffer said pink heroin is actually pink fentanyl.
"They would dye it different color with food coloring to have a different type of fentanyl eventhough it's the same batch," he said. "We've seen it in green, red, in black."
Pink Heroin has been available in Knoxville since 2020, according to the police department. It said that the drug has been brought from major cities like Detroit, while the actual drug is manufactured in countries like China and Mexico.
"We're finding it in scenes of overdoses, in traffic stops of users and sellers, on people's person's when they are arrested for other crimes," Shaffer said.
The drug could be dyed at any point along the way before it reaches Knoxville — whether it's at the place it's manufactured our when it's trafficked.
"There could be instances where it's occurring in Mexico before it comes across, or try to mask as it's transported by interstate," said Shaffer.
"Pink Cocaine" is another type of drug that authorities said has been finding popularity nationally. However, the police department said it's different from Pink Heroin in almost every way — except for both being pink. It also said Pink Cocaine has not yet been found in Knoxville.