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Category: Fentanyl

  • Ohio Cops Find Enough Fentanyl To Wipe Out The Whole State

    Ohio Cops Find Enough Fentanyl To Wipe Out The Whole State

    Authorities also seized 5,000 grams of heroin and 1,500 grams of methamphetamine.

    Even a tiny amount of fentanyl the size of a grain of rice can be fatal, which is why authorities in Ohio were so shocked to seize 20 kilograms of fentanyl during a recent drug bust. 

    Vance Callender, Homeland Security Investigations special agent in charge for Michigan and Ohio, participated in the raid, which included agents from Montogomery County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio Attorney General’s Office, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations, according to News 5 Cleveland.

    Callender said, “20 kilograms of fentanyl is enough to kill the entire population of Ohio, many times over. As this significant seizure makes clear, HSI and our partners are united in our resolve to protect our communities and our country from the deadly scourge of drug trafficking. We stand ready to use every tool and resource at our disposal to attack and dismantle these organizations from the low-level dealers to the source of supply with our law enforcement partners.”

    A Weapon Of Mass Destruction

    Dave Yost, Ohio Attorney General, that the amount of fentanyl, worth millions, was large enough that it could be thought of as a weapon of mass destruction. He said that the bust highlighted the “enormity of the opioid problem” in his state.

    He added, ”This is an enormous amount of deadly drugs that will no longer be on our streets.”

    At the bust, authorities also seized 5,000 grams of heroin and 1,500 grams of methamphetamine. They recovered about $30,000 in cash and three firearms. 

    Three suspects were charged in connection with the raid: Shamar Davis, 31, Anthony Franklin, 20, and Grady Jackson, 37. They’re facing charges for being felons in possession of firearms and for distributing 400 grams or more of fentanyl.  

    Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck said that the men posed a huge danger to the community. 

    “These illegal drugs ruin lives, destroy families, fuel violence, drives up property crime, and wrecks neighborhoods. Anyone associated with it—especially those who sell and traffic it—are doing violence to people and causing harm in our communities,” he said. 

    The Biggest Fentanyl Bust Of The Year

    Although the size of the fentanyl seizure is astounding, it’s not the biggest bust on record. Earlier this year, Customs and Border Protection officials near the Mexican border found more than 100 kilos of fentanyl hidden in a tractor trailer that was also carrying cucumbers, and meth. That seizure, which was made with the help of drug-sniffing dogs, netted fentanyl worth at least $3.5 million, authorities said at the time. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • 10 Dead In 26 Hours From Overdose In Ohio, Fentanyl Suspected

    10 Dead In 26 Hours From Overdose In Ohio, Fentanyl Suspected

    Ohio has experienced multiple mass overdose cases in past few months, with six dead in a single day in August and nine people dead in 48 hours in July.

    At least 10 people died of drug overdoses in a period of 26 hours in Ohio, according to medical officials. This high number within a short time frame has the Franklin County Coroner’s Office suspecting the involvement of fentanyl, the synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and is often mixed with other drugs to make them more powerful.

    “As of about 10 a.m. this morning we have had 10 people die of overdoses in about 26 hours. This is an unusually high number for our county in this period of time,” the coroner’s office said in a statement. “At this time we know fentanyl can be mixed into cocaine and methamphetamine. These can be deadly combinations for those who are using.”

    According to ABC News, Ohio has been hit particularly hard by the national opioid epidemic. They have experienced multiple mass overdose cases in past few months, with six dead in a single day in August and nine people dead in 48 hours in July.

    The statement about this latest rash of overdose deaths was posted on Facebook by Franklin County Coroner Dr. Anahi Ortiz. The coroner urged those with loved ones who use illicit drugs to carry naloxone, the medication that blocks opioid receptors in the brain and reverses an overdose. She also encouraged those who use risky drugs to take advantage of fentanyl testing strips.

    Fentanyl-Related Overdose Deaths Rise

    Batches of drugs tainted with fentanyl are considered to be largely responsible for the alarming increases in overdose deaths in recent years. Thankfully, many areas are seeing these numbers level off from 2017 to 2018, likely due to widespread efforts to make naloxone available to the public and educate people on how to administer the lifesaving drug.

    Funding for these efforts has also increased substantially in the past couple of years.

    Earlier this month, the Trump administration announced that it will be allocating a new wave of funding to fight the opioid crisis, with senior officials saying that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will be getting an extra $1.8 billion for that purpose.

    First Drop In Overdose Deaths Announced

    “Our country is seeing the first drop in overdose deaths in more than two decades, more Americans are getting treatment for addiction, and lives are being saved,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar. “At the same time, we are still far from declaring victory. We will continue executing on the Department’s 5-Point strategy for combating the opioid crisis, and laying the foundation for a healthcare system where every American can access the mental healthcare they need.”

    View the original article at thefix.com