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With the increase in drug activity in the Copper County, so too has the number of people overdosing gone up.
A recent string of overdoses, including multiple fatalities, has local residents demanding that someone put a stop to the drug epidemic.
Law enforcement officers agree that there has been an increase in opioid overdoses, particularly heroin and heroin laced with Fentanyl or carfentanyl.
Sgt. Robert Carter of the MSP Calumet Post said, “The drugs are more potent. Fentanyl and Carfentanyl raise the potency of the heroin. The traffickers cut it with these other agents and it becomes more potent, more deadly. Actually, Carfentanyl is an animal tranquilizer and it takes very little of that to overdose.”
The new UPSET-West drug enforcement team is helping to crack down on those supplying the drugs.
Sgt. Carter said, “With the local team, we have local knowledge on the team. Guys are here working this area and this area alone, so we’re seeing a good benefit from having them in the area.”
Some residents are fed up with the drug pushers and are taking matters into their own hands using social media sites to expose them–something police say is not a good idea.
Sgt Carter said, “We would discourage that just because, obviously the danger of approaching a drug dealer or a drug house, a suspected drug house, and confronting them, what you might think they’re doing. That’s the main reason. I guess a secondary reason would be it might hamper possible investigations we have going on right now at that location.”
Anyone who does have information about drug activity are instead asked to contact their local police agency or you can make an anonymous report online using the Michigan State Police website.
