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Posted: 9:07 PM Aug 14, 2008
Heroin Becoming Local Drug of Choice
Heroin, one of the deadliest drugs in the country, is taking a toll locally --quickly becoming the drug of choice. It tends to be popular because prescription pain killers and other drugs are harder to find.
Reporter: Michael Wooten Email Address: michael.wooten@wsaz.com |
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40 Comments 
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Heroin, one of the deadliest drugs in the country, is taking a toll locally -- quickly becoming the drug of choice.
It tends to be popular because prescription pain killers and other drugs are harder to find.
"We will be keeping the heat on anybody involved in drug trafficking, especially heroin trafficking in Huntington," Huntington Police Chief Skip Holbrook said.
Thanks to city, state and federal forces, heroin trafficking has taken a major hit. More than a dozen people from Cabell County recently were implicated in a major heroin bust that had been masterminded more than a year.
Despite the arrests, heroin is the latest drug -- sweeping not only Huntington and West Virginia -- but the entire region.
"In recent months, we've bought heroin for the first time since UNITE's been in operation," said Dan Smoot of Operation UNITE. "Basically, all three of the task forces have bought small amounts of heroin."
In Ohio, the substance abuse monitoring network says "Black Tar" heroin use has skyrocketed -- especially among juvenile whites and young adults.
"I think it's just a matter of time until heroin is a drug of choice in the region," Smoot said.
The drug dealing is simple geography. It is produced in Mexico then shipped into the U.S., with a major trade directly to Columbus, Ohio. From there, it's heading to Huntington, then on to southern Ohio to the west, eastern Kentucky to the south and Charleston to the east.
"That was a problem that really was instantly at epidemic proportions," Smoot said.
Epidemic, law enforcement officials explained, because of the number of overdose deaths caused by the heroin's purity level.
"Normally, you're in the 15 to 20 percent range," said Dennis Bolun, an agent with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. "The heroin that we sent to the lab here is coming back in the 60s to 75 percent range. So, it's extremely potent, and that's what led to the overdose deaths."
The accused ringleader of the region's heroin trade, Jose Hernandez Salazar, is still on the run in Columbus. So far, 19 of the 24 suspects in the recent heroin investigation have been arrested or indicted. Officers hope several of the small-time users and dealers will help investigators get to the higher profile suspects.
Latest Comments
I will say this. I have used Methodone for 6 years now. These clinics are all about the money! If you have the money you can stay for ever as far as they are concerned. They have no real plan to get you drug free. You have to do it your self. And in some instances they will actually try to keep you from progessing out by suggesting dose increases when not needed. Now after saying that sometimes it is the best soulution for hard core addicts. I'm talking people on herion or with a hundreds of dollars a day habit. But I would not advise it. It is way harder to come off of then the oxycontin I was on before starting methodone. And I had a $300 a day habit. If I knew then what I know now no way I would have touched methodone. With Oxycontin or even herion the longest you will go thru withdrawl is a week. Two weeks tops. If you try to stop methodone cold turkey you will be sick at the very least two months. I think suboxone which I am about to begin is the only real answer to stopping
I agree that most addicts arent serious about the methadone clinics they use them to get high when its dry on the street or to profit in the same way as street drugs.
u know what i am glad that there is methadone clinics around really in huntington but the users just go there when its dried up and then out they come to get back on. its taken over so many friends of mine. its sad what i know. i think the methadone and rehabs need to CRACK DOWN HARDER. someone has got to stop this. everyone is suffereing not just the addict.
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