Authorities in Manchester, New Hampshire, have charged a man with possession of a powerful synthetic drug that has recently surfaced in the state.
Police arrested 24-year-old Preston Thorpe Friday at a hotel in Manchester after an anonymous caller provided information on his location. Police said they searched his apartment last week, finding a trace amount of carfentanil in the kitchen, along with a small amount of marijuana.
State officials said carfentanil has been linked to three overdose deaths. No arrests have been made in connection with the deaths. The drug was created to tranquilize large animals such as elephants. Officials said it's 100 times more potent than fentanyl and 5,000 times stronger than heroin.
Thorpe, who is also charged with a parole violation, is expected to be arraigned Monday. It wasn't immediately known if he had a lawyer.
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