While drug news is still a daily occurrence in North Central West Virginia, arrests and other breaking stories involving issues with fentanyl-laced heroin has subsided. According to Bridgeport Police Chief John Walker, who also chairs the Harrison County Violent Crime and Drug Task Force, things have slowed to a stop on that front.

 

That’s the good news.

 

“Since the number of arrests that were made in recent weeks, we’ve not identified any other heroin that’s been laced with fentanyl,” said Walker.

 

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is described as being similar to morphine, but 50 to 100 times more potent. The idea of mixing it with heroin is to give users a high similar to the high received the first time using the drug, but the problem stems from knowing how to mix it without becoming deadly. As has been shown in multiple cases around Harrison County, Huntington and all parts of the country, which is a difficult task and often leads to overdoses.

 

Roughly three weeks ago, on Sept. 8, Harrison County became the latest area to have a flurry of fentanyl-related overdoses. On that evening, Walker and Clarksburg Police Chief Robbie Hilliard held a quick evening press conference to announce that there were four overdoses in Harrison County – one in Bridgeport, one in Anmoore and two in Clarksburg. All four individuals would need to be resucciated with the drug Narcan or all four individuals would have passed away.

 

After that, several other overdoses occurred and more types of heroin with the deadly mixture were found. Several arrests and several searches and raids of homes were undertaken in Harrison and even Marion County as law enforcement worked together to stop the issue from spreading.

 

“Even though nothing has come up recently, the investigation into the drug getting into the area has continued,” said Walker.

 

The Task Force is leading the investigation and that consists of several local, state and federal agencies. Also, the Mountaineer Highway Interdiction Team (MHIT) is also involved with the ongoing investigation.

 

While Walker is glad that things have calmed down, he said that he doesn’t think the problem is over. And he’s basing that on how the issue has developed nationwide, which is the bad news.

 

“This has been a problem nationwide and we’ve seen it spread form area to area and it just doesn’t end immediately unfortunately,” said Walker. “This was our first round, but pretty sure it won’t be the last round.”

 

For anyone that has information or believes they have found a potential stamp of heroin - empty or otherwise - they are asked not to touch it. They can contact the Task Force at 304-848-7053.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows Chief John Walker at the Sept. 8 press conference announcing the arrival of fentanyl-laced heroin into the region, while one of the stamped brands with the deadly mix in it - "Dream Catcher" - is shown below.