Kristina Bakhtina (33), with no prior criminal history in Estonia, was found selling at least 164 doses of fentanyl and 20 methadone tablets, for which investigators say she earned at least 2,790 euros, and in possession of an additional 95 methadone tablets and seven grams of fentanyl.

"The deadliness of the chemical is supported by the fact that last year, of 160 people who died from overdosing on drugs, 137 had consumed fentanyl," said a prosecutor's aid, Jane Pajus.

"In addition to the fact that the drug dealing took place in the presence of a one year and seven month old baby, Bakhtina held the extremely dangerous drug in a place in her apartment where the child could have gotten hands on it. A package with a deadly dose was even found on the floor," Pajus said.

Bakhtina was handed a six-month sentence with an additional five-year suspended sentence. The woman was detained last November and the time she has already been held for will be deducted from her sentence. She will be barred from re-entering Estonia for six years.

Police said the case indicates that an established consumer base for hard drugs has emerged in Tartu and that it will probably continue to grow. "It is a serious sign of danger that fentanyl can spread to southern Estonia in the near future. The police is doing everything to stop this trend," said Kristjan Tommingas, head of the South Prefecture's drug crimes unit.