WILMINGTON STARTS BATTLE WITH HEROIN

WILMINGTON -- This town isn't used to what is happening here. So the war is on.

The enemy is heroin and police are trying to sweep it off the
streets. They scored a bust Thursday that was preceded recently by a
traffic stop netting more of the white stuff.

"We are doing what we can," said Police Chief Wally Evans.

The problem has escalated in the wake of the death of a 15-year-old
boy in recent weeks. A heroin overdose is suspected but has not been confirmed.

On Thursday morning, police responded shortly after 3 a.m. to a
complaint of a suspicious person hanging out in a car near an
apartment complex in the 100 block of First Street. Two hits of
heroin, 0.8 grams of cocaine and about 50 pills were allegedly taken
from [Name redacted].

[Name redacted] was charged with two counts of felony possession of a
controlled substance, one count of possessing drug paraphernalia on
his person and one count of drug trafficking.

Drugs Seized

In a previous bust, police reportedly took 24 packets of heroin off
the streets during a traffic stop. Officer Kevin Delaney stopped a
vehicle on Kahler Road and found that the occupants "became evasive
answering his questions." Officers and a canine unit searched the car
and found more than 10 grams of heroin, according to reports.

Arrested on charges of possession of a controlled substance were
three Wilmington residents: [Names redacted]. [Names redacted] also
were charged with obstructing justice. All three were booked into the
county jail.

Wilmington Meeting

Wilmington police recently hosted a meeting attended by more than 150
residents. Deputy Chief Mike Boyle told the crowd that parents must
start going through their children's things, keeping track of where
they are going and who they are hanging out with.

"Remember, they live in your house," Boyle said.

Evans doesn't sugarcoat the problem either.

"I started reading up on statistics and was shocked at what I have
found," he said. "The average heroin user is in the eighth grade.
These are our children we must protect."

Fentanyl Fears

Dealers are now selling a more deadly form of heroin. The drug is
mixed with fentanyl, which is 80 times more powerful than morphine.
Authorities believe two recent deaths in Grundy County were the
result of fentanyl-laced heroin.

Michael McGovern, 19, of Seneca died Aug. 26 and Edward Neikirk, 44,
of Morris died Aug. 19.

"Something has to be done," Evans said. "We are asking for all the
help we can get."

Most of Illinois' fentanyl-related deaths have occurred in Cook
County, which has recorded 185 since April 2005, including 145 in Chicago.

Evans said fentanyl can be manufactured in home labs. It is often
used to increase the potency of the drug. The problem with the drug
is deciding how much is too much.

"Chicago is a major hub for the drug," Evans said.

Dealers purchase heroin at $10 a dose, save enough for their own use
and sell the rest to their customers at twice the price.

The first Wilmington meeting with residents yielded a lot of interest
in fighting heroin use.

"I have been getting a lot of calls," Boyle said. "I love it. People
are calling about this problem."

There is a second free seminar set for 6 p.m. Sept. 18 at the Mar
Theater at 121 S. Main St. The featured speaker will be a recovering
addict and former dealer.

No one under 17 will be admitted to the meeting without a parent.

Police are hoping residents of surrounding communities will attend
since heroin is not exclusive to Wilmington.

"We are trying to be proactive," Evans said.