HEROIN DEATHS INCREASING IN TAMAQUA

Since mid-June, there have been five apparent fatal drug overdoses in
Tamaqua, with the most recent occurring Friday morning. Although
Tamaqua police are awaiting the results of four of the toxicology
tests, one of the deaths was confirmed to have been caused by
fentanyl-laced heroin.

Tamaqua Patrolman Dave Mattson, who is investigating several of the
cases, is not ruling out the possibility that the potent heroin
mixture caused all of the deaths.

"The information we have is that there's an increase in Pennsylvania
in the number of deaths (overdoses), and they're saying it's a
mixture of heroin and fentanyl," Mattson said. "That's what I suspect
is happening here." According to the federal Drug Enforcement
Administration, fentanyl-laced heroin is responsible for several
hundred confirmed deaths over the past few months in Michigan,
Illinois, Ohio, Missouri, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and
Maryland. Fentanyl is a prescription painkiller considered 15 to 20
times more powerful than morphine. Mattson said that during his 15
years as a policeman in Tamaqua, he has never seen so many fatal
overdoes in the borough over such a short period of time.

Just after 9 a.m. Friday, Schuylkill County Coroner David Dutcavich
pronounced dead the latest possible victim, a 35-year-old woman.
Within the past few months, Dutcavich said, four others in the county
- - one from the western end and three from the Pottsville area - have
died from apparent overdoses.

He said that toxicology tests have not been completed on the four,
but expects the results within the next few weeks.

Although Dutcavich cannot confirm the cause of the deaths since
toxicology tests are pending, he noted that the fentanyl-laced heroin
is finding its way into the area.

Mattson said that a batch of the powerful heroin may have made its
way into Tamaqua from Reading.

"The information that I got is that it's coming in already laced
(with fentanyl)," Mattson said. He wasn't sure whether drug users
were aware that the drug is laced before they take it.

He said that of those who apparently overdosed, only one was a
female. In each case, it appeared that the drug was injected. Each of
the individuals, Mattson said, had used heroin for "a long period of
time." The deceased ranged in age from 30 to 45 years old. "As long
as you keep taking heroin, your number is going to come up," Mattson warned.

He added that there may be more people who are taking the drug and
not overdosing, but said no chances should be taken.

"The people should know that the heroin might be causing these
deaths," Mattson said.

Mattson encouraged members of the public to report any suspicious
activities to police. He also urged those who use illegal drugs to
get help. "The longer they wait, the more chance they have of running
into this stuff," Mattson said.