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Police apologize over post about fentanyl, shopping carts

Police apologize over post about fentanyl, shopping carts
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LEACHVILLE, AR (KAIT) - Following national attention over a post about wiping down shopping carts, a police department now issues an apology for the post.

The Leachville Police Department initially warned the public about contact with drugs such as fentanyl from those carts and suggested citizens wipe them down.

Leachville police posted the warning on Wednesday but deleted it as of Thursday morning.

Later, someone with the department sent out another post stating they "simply shared" the information from another officer with another department.

They apologized for not checking the information and said they were sorry for the confusion.

Exposure to fentanyl can be dangerous, especially to children. Earlier this year a 10-year-old Miami boy diedafter coming into contact with the drug.

Snopes statesthey cannot find evidence of law enforcement agenciesever issuing such a warning.

However, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has issued a warning to police and the public about exposure to the drug.

A local undercover drug task force agent says officers are doing what they can to avoid the drug.

"We’re gonna have to better inform our officers because, I mean, merely touching this stuff can kill you, accidentally inhaling it, any of these things so it’s gonna be something that we have to prepare for in depth and train our officers as well as the public," the agent said.

The apology posted from the department Thursday:

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