Alberta Halloween candy package 'presumptive positive' for fentanyl: RCMP

On Nov. 2, 2022, a Rocky Mountain House area parent contacted RCMP over concerns about a dark-coloured substance found in her child's Halloween candy. (Supplied: RCMP.)

Mounties in Alberta have requested urgent lab tests after a package of Sour Patch Kids handed out on Halloween returned a "presumptive positive test" for fentanyl.

Parents in the central Alberta town of Rocky Mountain House turned the package over to police after noticing it was open and there were pieces of something strange inside, RCMP revealed Thursday.

"This presumptive test for the presence of Fentanyl is concerning. While RCMP conduct an investigation into the circumstances of this incident, RCMP further encourage parents to take extra precautions in examining all candy obtained on Halloween," Cpl. Troy Savinkoff said.

"Unsealed candy should be immediately disposed of. Should you find any suspicious items in your candy, please contact the Rocky Mountain House RCMP or your local police."

Savinkoff said the test means it's also possible that someone had fentanyl residue on their hands when they handled the package. He added that the strange substance was "obvious with no intent to camouflage it in the candy."

RCMP couldn't say when the more fulsome test would be complete, but they wanted to warn the public because fentanyl is dangerous.

Tampering with Halloween candy is very rare in Alberta, Savinkoff said, and they've had no additional reports of suspicious substances in candy.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Alex Antoneshyn and Evan Kenny