CITY, STATE, FEDS OFFICIALS JOIN FORCES TO TRACK DEADLY FENTANYL-LACED HEROIN

PHILADELPHIA -- City, state and federal law enforcement and public
health officials on Tuesday announced a joint regional effort to
track the ongoing deaths attributed to painkiller-laced heroin and
identify the suppliers of the drug.

The fentanyl-laced heroin has caused about 70 deaths in the
Philadelphia metropolitan region and more than 200 overdoses
nationwide since it was first spotted in April, U.S. Attorney Patrick
J. Meehan said.

"The problem with fentanyl is that it's deadly," Meehan said. "The
push of a syringe is like pulling the trigger."

To determine the full scope of the problem in the region, officials
representing law enforcement in Philadelphia and Camden County, the
federal Drug Enforcement Agency and the FBI and Philadelphia's
behavioral health department said they would share information and
coordinate their investigations into the spike of fentanyl-related deaths.

Fentanyl is a legally produced prescription painkiller that is 40 to
100 times stronger than morphine, said James Kasson, DEA special
agent-in-charge.