Fentanyl drug busts increase 200% in parts of Florida

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The latest data from the D.E.A. warns if you come across a street pill laced with fentanyl, there’s a 60% chance it could prove fatal. This surge in fentanyl-related incidents has led to an alarming number of overdoses across the country, making it an uphill battle for law enforcement agencies.

In a ride along with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Narcotics Unit showed the problem first-hand. The region has seen a staggering 200% increase in fentanyl-related drug busts compared to the same period last year. Officers believe the shocking increase may only represent a fraction of the true drug supply. 

“These are not just your local dealers. That’s not a local user that’s buying or pushing poison to another person. These are large scale investigations that lead us sometimes out of the state, and sometimes out of the country,” Sheriff Carmine Marceno, a Lee County Sheriff said regarding the ongoing fentanyl crisis. 

Amidst the chaos, law enforcement officers are fighting to eradicate fentanyl from the streets. Despite making 140 drug-related arrests this year alone, fentanyl continues to make a way into the drug supply. 

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“The case began with our informant purchasing fentanyl and cocaine from our target. We decided to arrest him today on those sale charges,” Russell Park said, a Captain with the Narcotics Unit in Lee County “What you witnessed today is just another day for us. We relentlessly target drug dealers, taking them down one by one.”

Lee County has doubled the size of its narcotics unit in the past year to fight against this escalating crisis. Since then, detectives have discovered fentanyl laced in various substances, ranging from marijuana to counterfeit pills.

“We have to aid those struggling with addiction, helping them get the necessary support. By removing this poison, we save lives and reduce the number of overdoses. Fentanyl is being mixed with different types of drugs and is even disguised as other pills. Unfortunately, we find ourselves constantly responding to overdose incidents caused by these drugs flooding our streets,” Sheriff Marceno said.

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This problem extends far beyond Lee County, affecting the entire nation. Customs and Border Protection data reveals 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. We have drugs coming in from all over. Okay, unfortunately our borders are not sealed,” said Sheriff Marceno.

According to the latest data from the CDC, overdose deaths in the United States leveled off last year, but fentanyl is still claiming the lives of over a hundred thousand individuals.