MORE POTENT HEROIN INFECTS REGION

City Sees A Jump In Overdoses

In his years treating people on the streets of Trenton, EMT Ray
Krajocovics has seen it happen many times.

A heroin overdose victim is found unconscious and in need of a
life-saving antidote. But as soon as the solution takes effect, the
person is able to jump up and run away.

But since the beginning of August, Trenton EMS responders are finding
many heroin overdose victims have not been able to sit up after
getting the antidote. Instead, they are in a near-coma state, and
increasingly investigators suspect that it's because the heroin they
used has been laced with highly potent fentanyl that has come onto
the market in the Trenton region.

Fentanyl-laced heroin has been a scourge in southern New Jersey since
April, with more than 60 overdose deaths in Camden and Gloucester
counties blamed on the super-potent narcotic.

Recently, Mercer County authorities acknowledged that the drug was
being sold in the Trenton area. In early September, Mercer law
enforcement officials said fentanyl was suspected in seven local
deaths. Two more people were treated for overdoses in Hamilton but survived.

In Mercer County, the Medical Examiner's Office is still testing
toxicological samples taken from overdose victims, and confirmations
that fentanyl was present could take a few more weeks, the Mercer
County Prosecutor's Office said.

In Bucks County, Pa., Coroner Dr. Joseph Campbell has confirmed the
presence of fentanyl in five heroin overdose deaths this year,
including one this month.

Fentanyl has legitimate medical use as an anesthesia and pain killer
and is about 80 times more potent than morphine. Illicit drug
distributors use it to make their heroin more potent or to strengthen
poor-quality heroin, authorities say.

From Aug. 1 to Sept. 13, Trenton EMS treated 27 patients for heroin
overdoses -- 15 in August alone. Two died and the rest were taken to
hospitals for treatment, officials say.

The latest was Tuesday at 8 p.m. at Kirkbride Avenue and New Willow
Street in North Trenton, Trenton EMS said. That person was hospitalized.

Trenton EMS's numbers are not a definitive tally of the impact of
fentanyl-mixed heroin. (Some of the suspected deaths occurred in the
suburbs.) But the crews of Trenton EMS often are the first to get to
the victims and they know when something is amiss with the Trenton
region's heroin.

"It seems to be more steady over the past few months," Krajocovics,
deputy director of Trenton EMS, said of the heroin calls. "We're
definitely seeing an increase." In prior years, Trenton EMS would get
a few calls a month, not one every other day, he said.

Also, Krajocovics said, his ambulance crews are reporting that they
are using more of the antidote on victims. "When I see 15 overdoses
in the month of August, it may be (heroin) that is more potent than
(heroin users) are used to," he said.

Mercer County Prosecutor's Office Detective Lt. Bill Straniero, who
publicly confirmed suspicions earlier this month that fentanyl had
apparently surfaced in Mercer County, said his Special Investigations
Unit has been working with other law-enforcement agencies in recent
weeks on the issue.

Trenton police also have detectives probing the presence of
fentanyl-laced heroin, the department said.

Even without positive confirmation, Straniero said common belief on
the streets is that the current supply of heroin can be quickly
fatal, even for longtime users.

"With my experience (with drugs in Mercer County) we haven't seen the
overdoses in a month or so like we have just seen," Straniero said.
"In my experience, there's got to be something this is not normal
with these heroin overdoses."