POLICE WARN AGAINST ACCEPTING FREE 'HEROIN'

Chicago police on Monday issued a community alert to warn residents,
especially those in the West Side Ogden District, against accepting
and using free drugs they believe to be heroin.

Last Friday, seven people were hospitalized from the 4100 block of
West Ogden Avenue after they apparently overdosed on "some form of
heroin,"Fire Media Affairs Director Larry Langford said.

It was not immediately clear if the drugs had been laced with
something else, Langford added.

The community alert issued by police Monday stated that the Ogden
District has had "several incidents of people sickened when using a
highly dangerous narcotic distributed as heroin. These incidents
often occur when individuals pass out a free dose of narcotics to
entice drug users."

The alert cautions that the use of such substances "could potentially
lead to severe medical consequences, including breathing problems,
faintness or dizziness, and could be fatal."

People are urged not to accept or use such drugs. If anyone living in
the Ogden District sees any suspicious activity they believe may be
drug-related, they should call 911 or the Ogden District police at
(312) 747-7511.