Official: Pills found at Prince's estate contained fentanyl

MINNEAPOLIS -- Several pills taken from Prince's estate in Paisley Park after his death were counterfeit drugs that contained fentanyl -- a synthetic opioid 50 times more powerful than heroin, an official close to the investigation said Sunday.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation, said many pills were falsely labeled as "Watson 385." According to Drugs.com, that stamp is used to identify pills containing a mix of acetaminophen and hydrocodone.

About a dozen tablets were found in a dressing room at Paisley Park, but the vast majority were in bottles of vitamin C and aspirin tucked inside a suitcase and bags -- including one Prince often carried with him.

Autopsy results released in June show Prince died April 21 of an accidental fentanyl overdose.

The official who spoke to the AP said records show the 57-year-old Prince had no prescription for any controlled substances in the state of Minnesota in the 12 months before he died.

Authorities still are investigating how Prince obtained the drugs.

Fentanyl has been responsible for a surge in overdose deaths in some parts of the country.

When it is made into counterfeit pills, users don't always know they're taking fentanyl, increasing the risk of fatal overdose.

The Star Tribune first reported about the mislabeled pills in a story published on its website late Saturday.

One pill with the "Watson 385" stamp analyzed by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension tested positive for fentanyl, lidocaine and another drug. Officials found nearly two dozen pills similar to the one that was tested, the official said.

Another aspirin bottle had 64 counterfeit tablets in it. Some pills that were analyzed contained fentanyl, lidocaine and U-4770 -- a synthetic drug that is eight times more powerful than morphine.

Authorities also found a prescription bottle in someone else's name that contained 10 oxycodone pills, the official said, without revealing who was listed on the prescription.