COEUR d’ALENE — A spike in drug overdoses among North Idaho teens is connected to dangerous counterfeit prescription pills, police said Tuesday.

About one in six counterfeit pills circulating in the community contains a lethal dose of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid more than 50 times more powerful than morphine, the Coeur d’Alene Police Department said in a news release Tuesday.

Three deaths have reportedly been attributed to these pills since last fall.

The source of the pills remains under investigation.

In the meantime, Lt. Bill McCleod of the Coeur d’Alene Police Department said ensuring the safety of the youth in North Idaho is a top priority.

“Please help us put an end to the devastation these families experience,” McCleod said.

Police encourage parents to talk to their children about the dangers of unprescribed pills.

“These kids are playing Russian roulette when they try these pills and don’t even know they’re holding a loaded gun,” a parent connected to an overdose case said.

Anyone with information that would aid the investigation can contact the Coeur d’Alene Police Department at 208-769-2320 or email [email protected].