Chattanooga police responded to a report of drugs found in the bathroom of a BP on the corner of Brainerd and Moore roads Friday night.
Because investigators weren't sure what type of drugs awaited them, Chattanooga police spokesman Rob Simmons said, the hazmat team from the city's fire department retrieved them. Simmons did not say specifically whether this was a new practice, but law enforcement agencies across the country have warned about investigating fentanyl, a powerful opioid that has become more prevalent in recent years.
Fentanyl can be lethal even in tiny amounts. A Franklin County, Tenn., licensed practical nurse was arrested for leaving a medication patch containing fentanyl stuck to a door in the Grundy County Courthouse in July. In East Liverpool, Ohio, an officer collapsed after brushing the powder off his uniform in May, allowing it to enter his system through his hands, according to CNN. The officer survived.