11 Connecticut cops sickened during heroin and fentanyl bust
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Powdered heroin is pictured in this undated handout photo courtesy of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. (Reuters)
Connecticut authorities say 11 Hartford police officers became ill when they were exposed to heroin and fentanyl during a drug bust.
Deputy Chief Brian Foley posted on his Twitter account that the officers were sickened while executing a search warrant at Tuesday night in the city's Asylum Hill neighborhood. The officers were treated at a hospital and released.
Foley says the SWAT team members had symptoms of exposure to airborne heroin and fentanyl including nausea, light-headedness, sore throats and headaches.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Police seized 50,000 bags of heroin, three-quarters of a pound of raw heroin, fentanyl, two handguns and drug packaging materials. Three people were arrested.
Fentanyl is a strong painkiller blamed for thousands of overdose deaths nationwide. Officers have gotten sick from airborne fentanyl, but no police deaths have been reported.