COPS HAVE SUSPECTS IN TAINTED HEROIN CASE

Chicago Police officials said Thursday several people were in custody
in connection with recent overdoses from tainted heroin, and homicide
charges are being sought against anyone peddling the drugs.

Chicago Police Supt. Phil Cline said federal and local investigators
were still working to find the source of the bad heroin turning up on
the South and West sides, which has resulted in about 25 overdoses --
including a fatality -- in recent days.

This follows a rash of overdoses in February on the South Side, which
included nine suspected fatalities also believed to be linked to bad
heroin, officials said.

Authorities suspect the heroin is laced with fentanyl, a powerful
synthetic drug that is used as an anesthetic. Cline held a briefing
Thursday with federal and local officials about what he called an "epidemic."

"We're working with [federal officials] to try and go up the chain to
see who is responsible," he said. "This drug is coming into Chicago
already laced with fentanyl. . . These sellers are facing
drug-induced homicide charges. . . . The message is if you get caught
selling or passing out illegal drugs, you are going to jail."

Since 2002, law enforcement officials have been able to use a
strengthened state law to charge people who pass along illegal drugs
that result in a death. The collar counties used the so-called
drug-induced homicide charge first. In 2004, the charge was filed for
the first time in Cook County against a man who was accused of
selling brown heroin on the West Side that caused two men to
overdose, including one fatally.

When fentanyl first surfaced recently in Chicago in February --
several fatal overdoses were reported in connection with the Dearborn
Homes at 29th and State -- it was believed it could be an isolated
batch that had fallen into the hands of gangs who sell the drug. But
on Thursday, federal officials said they believe the fentanyl is
being manufactured in a lab outside Chicago.

100 Times Stronger

"We're in the process of trying to identify the organization that is
manufacturing fentanyl clandestinely," said Timothy Ogden, acting
special agent in charge of the Chicago Bureau of the U.S. Drug
Enforcement Administration.

Authorities said the recent rash of overdoses happened after dealers
gave away free samples.

Fentanyl, which is 100 times stronger than heroin, causes muscles at
the rib cage to spasm almost immediately, which causes breathing to
stop, said Dr. Terry Mason, commissioner for the Chicago Department of Health.

The Chicago Fire Department has also increased its availability of
Narcan, used to reverse drug overdoses, to emergency personnel.