Parent Claims Dealer Gave Fentanyl to Son, Darknet to Blame

In November 2016, an 18-year-old overdosed at his father’s house in Deal, Kent. Afterwards, the toxicology report cited fentanyl as the cause of death. Robert Fraser overdosed on a couch with white lines prepared before him. However, due to a lack of evidence, the police ended their investigation into the crime. Sources reported that they attempted, before closing the case on May 12, to find the supplier. Robert’s mother recently claimed that she does not believe her son ingested fentanyl the night he died.

She said he obtained the drug from a dealer but was unaware of the substance’s identity. She similarly argued that he ordered it on the darknet, a place where “it is kids giving it to kids.“

She argued that her son went to buy cannabis and the dealer provided them with a free bag of fentanyl. Robert brought a friend with him, the mother explained. He explained that the powder came wrapped in an airtight bag within another airtight bag. Despite the presence of a witness to the alleged cannabis deal, the police still ended the case due to lack of evidence.

To clarify: this child’s mother now claims that Robert arranged a marijuana deal – not a fentanyl. The police have not made a statement corroborating her theory. And, for further clarification, she referred to fentanyl in every report currently available, despite describing both a far more potent variant or analogue akin to carfentanil or ohmefentanyl and something notably weaker. She said that the night prior to his death, three of his friends tried the drug and two of his friends felt sick after ingesting it.

Despite the lines laid out on a take next to the son’s dead body, she implied that he died by touching the drug of inhaling it—on accident. “Don’t take anything. This horrible substance could be in the next gram of weed that you buy,” she told reporters in an effort to spread awareness about fentanyl. If he did ingest the drug, she said that it did not take place on the night of his death.

She cited several reports that the drug remained lethal, even if simply touched. The inhalation argument, too, carried weight; vaporized and smoked fentanyl cause quick highs that drastically spike tolerance. And of course the drug is highly effective transdermal; fentanyl patches provide a long-lasting pain alleviation or reduction. In the United States, fentanyl is approved for medical use in the form of patches.

The patches are commonly prescribed—relatively speaking—in doses ranging from 2-11mg. However, thanks to the way the patches are manufactured, the dose is measured hourly. A rate limiting layer sits above the skin adhesive layer on the patch. Only a precise amount of fentanyl passes through. That’s why patches are dosed in formats such as “75 mcg/hr.” While still strong, the time release mechanism prevents a full dose of the fentanyl gel from entering the body at one time.

Powdered fentanyl has a much more difficult time passing through the skin, but it is technically possible. Robert’s friend told the police that the dealer never revealed what the drug was—except that it resembled MDMA. The group of friends had taken MDMA before, she explained.

Fentanyl comes from the darknet, she explained. She also believed that the fentanyl in her son’s possession cancer from the darknet. Reports are unclear as to her current standing; did her son buy fentanyl from the dealer and from a darknet vendor? Or only one of the two. She told KentOnline that the darknet is responsible and made the process of obtaining drugs far too simple. “It’s kids giving it to kids. The kid just gave it to Robert like a buy one, get one free, offer. It’s like ‘here’s your weed, here’s your death!’”

The police made no comment regarding the darknet. She claimed they hardly spoke to her at all. The statement she received from the police, following the coroner’s report said that “Police officers will pursue all reasonable lines of inquiry to gain evidence.” It continued, “this includes mobile phone data where there are legal grounds to do so. However, in some circumstances, officers are unable to gain access to all or some of the data.”

The investigation ended, she said, because the police were unable to access the teens locked HTC smartphone.