Authorities Seize 5 Million Lethal Doses of Fentanyl in New Jersey

5 million doses of fentanyl

Why is the Fentanyl problem so bad in this country?

First of all, opiate addicts want it. It’s a strange syndrome among opiate users when they hear of a certain dealer or “trap” where a lot of people have overdosed on the heroin sold, that is the heroin they want! All the heroin users will flock to that dealer or trap house because it’s where the strong stuff is sold and, as any heroin addict would tell you, they want more “bang for their buck.”

Even if it kills them.

Fentanyl mixed with heroin is old news at this point and it’s been around since the early 2000’s. When Fentanyl first showed up on the scene, overdoses spiked and users had to tread lightly on the heroin they just bought because it might turn out to be their last high. Except most users didn’t “tread lightly” and kept carelessly using heroin, knowing Fentanyl was mixed into it and watched as it killed countless numbers of their friends. It seemed like no one really knew exactly where the Fentanyl was coming from or how street dealers were even getting their hands on it, but authorities soon found its source.

China has been mass-producing Fentanyl that can be easily purchased. All you need is an internet connection and a credit card. It’s insane that getting your hands on a powerful, illicit drug is as easy as a few mouse clicks, but that’s where we’re at today, folks.

New Jersey has seen a growing death rate caused by Fentanyl. In 2015, there were 417 deaths attributed to the drug and just in the beginning of 2016, there were 394 deaths associated with fentanyl, according to New Jersey Attorney General, Christopher Porrino.

NJSP Trafficking South Unit and ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) teamed up to raid a local drug dealer in Camden, New Jersey and served search warrants at a few locations. Police seized 31 pounds of synthetic fentanyl. Alleged drug dealer, Yahmire Boardley was having the drug shipped in from China and distributed it on the streets of New Jersey. According to authorities, this amount of Fentanyl translates to around 5 million lethal doses, meaning it potentially could have killed half the state of New Jersey.

Col. Rick Fuentes, superintendent of the New Jersey State Police said, “by removing more than five million potentially lethal doses of fentanyl from the streets, we not only saved the lives of users, but we may very well have saved the life of a police officer, first responder, or police K-9 who may have unintentionally come into contact with this lethal narcotic.” Aside from being mixed into local heroin supplies, Fentanyl has also been disguised as less-potent drugs like Oxycodone on the streets of New Jersey.

This is completely ridiculous. Absolutely anybody can go online and order hardcore drugs from China and have them delivered to their doorstep to do whatever they please with them. And the fallout from that is because of some dealer’s greed and carelessness, your child overdoses and dies. Or they become so addicted to heroin they lie, steal from the house, commit crimes, end up in jail, ruin family gatherings, and go in and out of rehab, only to relapse shortly after getting out. Many heroin addicts are caught in this vicious cycle of not being able to get clean with the help that’s available to them while encountering easily-accessible and cheap heroin almost everywhere they turn.

What are we going to do about this? Are we ever going to do anything to change things and get this epidemic under control or are we just going to sit back and see where this thing goes? I can tell you, it’s not going to go anywhere good…


Sources Used:

http://hackensack.dailyvoice.com/police-fire/authorities-record-setting-fentanyl-seizure-could-have-killed-half-of-nj/719586/

AUTHOR

Jason Good

Jason has been working in the field of addiction and recovery for over 11 years. Having been an addict himself he brings real-word experience to the table when helping addicts and their families, while also offering a first-person perspective to the current drug crisis. Jason is passionate about educating the public about what’s currently going on in our society, and thankfully, offers practical solutions. Jason is also the co-host of The Addiction Podcast—Point of No Return. You can follow Jason on Google+, Twitter, or connect with him on LinkedIn.

NARCONON SUNCOAST

DRUG EDUCATION AND REHABILITATION