Global Courant 2023-05-31 13:10:03
Fentanyl drug is breaking out
On a ride with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Narcotics Unit showed us the problem firsthand. We found that the region has seen a staggering 200% increase in fentanyl-related drug seizures compared to the same period last year.
FORT MYERS, Florida – The latest data from the DEA warns that if you come across a fentanyl street pill, there’s a 60% chance it could be fatal. This increase in fentanyl-related incidents has led to an alarming number of overdoses across the country, making it an uphill battle for law enforcement agencies.
On a ride with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Narcotics Unit showed the problem firsthand. The region has seen a staggering 200% increase in fentanyl-related drug seizures compared to the same period last year. Officers believe the shocking increase may represent only a fraction of the actual drug supply.
“These aren’t just your local dealers. That’s not a local user buying poison or passing it on to another person. These are large-scale investigations that sometimes take us out of state and sometimes out of country,” Sheriff Carmine Marceno, a Lee County Sheriff said about the ongoing fentanyl crisis.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents seized more than 1.2 million fentanyl pills between two arrests on Dec. 29. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
Amidst the chaos, law enforcement officers fight to get fentanyl off the streets. Despite 140 drug-related arrests this year alone, fentanyl continues to find its way into the drug supply.
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“The case started when our informant bought fentanyl and cocaine from our target. We’ve decided to arrest him today based on those sales charges,” said Russell Park, a captain with the Lee County Narcotics Unit. We relentlessly target drug dealers and take them down one by one.”
Lee County has doubled the size of its narcotics unit in the past year to combat this escalating crisis. Since then, detectives have discovered fentanyl in a variety of substances ranging from marijuana to counterfeit pills.
Fentanyl Pills (US lawyer)
“We need to help those struggling with addiction, help them get the support they need. By removing this toxin, we save lives and reduce overdoses. Fentanyl is mixed with different types of drugs and even disguised as other pills. Unfortunately “We are constantly responding to overdose incidents caused by these drugs flooding our streets,” said Sheriff Marceno.
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This problem extends well beyond Lee County and affects the entire country. Customs and Border Protection data shows a staggering 150% increase in fentanyl seizures compared to the same period last year.
“This is a national epidemic, not limited to Lee County alone. Drugs are coming in from everywhere. Okay, unfortunately our borders are not sealed,” said Sheriff Marceno.
President Joe Biden walks along a stretch of the US-Mexico border in El Paso, Texas, January 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)
According to the latest data from the CDC, overdose deaths in the United States stabilized last year, but fentanyl still claims the lives of more than 100,000 people.
Global Courant
Fox News multimedia reporter
