The Onondaga County Sheriff’s department has arrested six people in the Town of Clay allegedly caught in the act of packaging thousands of doses of a drug called fentanyl, the latest twist in the ongoing problem of synthetic drugs.
Sergeant Young of the County’s special investigations unit said this seizure of fentanyl was the largest that the department has had to date. He said the bust prevents more community members from experiencing harm.
“Fentanyl is a drug that can be absorbed through the skin,” Young said. “Very low doses of fentanyl can be fatal.”
The arrests included confiscation of about 6,000 doses of the fentanyl, a quantity of another synthetic drug – sometimes called bath salts, drug processing equipment, two guns and $3,500 in cash.
Sheriff Gene Conway credited the public with reporting suspicious activity that led to the arrests and recovery of these synthetic drugs. He said the tips allowed deputies to act just in time.
“I also want to point out that when we entered that residence, they were actually in the process of packaging fentanyl – for sale, to people in our community, “ Conway said.
Conway would not confirm whether the six people arrested are part of a larger drug distribution ring. Sergeant Young recalls fentanyl was first recovered in the county in late 2014, and is adding to another drug problem.
“Fentanyl probably something that’s here to stay for a little while,” Young said. “It is cheaper and more potent than heroine. And because we’ve seen that, we’ve seen the heroine epidemic within our community, fentanyl is going to be on the streets for some time.”
The synthetic drug problem is not new. Senator Schumer and Congress Member Katko have called for stronger laws to help go after people who make and distribute them.