Fentanyl Found in Discount Store Barbies

Police in Independence, Missouri, say a surprising discovery at a local discount retailer led to a drug investigation after several Barbie dolls were found to contain fentanyl hidden inside their packaging.

According to a Facebook post from the Independence Police Department, five Barbie dolls purchased from Cargo Largo, a discount store in the Kansas City suburb, had fentanyl taped inside the packaging. Store security contacted authorities on March 21 after employees noticed a suspicious powder while inspecting one of the dolls, USA Today reported. Investigators later determined that five of the dolls sold by the store had been tampered with.

Police clarified that the dolls themselves had not been altered. Officials also said there is no evidence that any of the compromised packages were distributed to other retailers, and no injuries related to the discovery have been reported.

Authorities have not revealed the exact amount of fentanyl recovered. Investigators are now working to determine where the dolls originally came from. Cargo Largo purchases damaged or abandoned freight and resells those items, which may complicate tracing the shipment. The company says it is cooperating with the investigation.

One customer, Jade Adams, said she had already purchased one of the dolls before the situation became known. She described how her husband opened the box with a knife and a cloud of powder burst into the car. Adams said her mother then went back to the store to warn employees and help prevent others from unknowingly buying the dolls. According to Adams, her mother gathered multiple Barbie dolls from the shelves, filled a shopping cart, and brought them to store security so each package could be inspected.

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