Heroin on Staten Island Increases Overdoses

Addiction resources for men, women, and families across Long Island that are affected by substance abuse and alcoholism.
The heroin addiction epidemic in New York is not showing any signs of slowing now, especially now that fentanyl is in the mix. The residents of Staten Island and all of the boroughs are dealing with an increase in overdoses resulting from heroin that is tainted and mixed with fentanyl. Communities all over Staten Island have been especially hard hit by this latest wave of heroin-related deaths, with a string of overdoses that are suspected to be caused by a bad batch of heroin. Officials are struggling to prepare an appropriate response and prevent further deaths, even as more drug dealers have been arrested in various police operations in the Staten Island area.
Drug Gang Arrested for Selling Heroin on Staten Island
Police on Long Island arrested members of an Albanian drug gang that was selling heroin on Staten Island for the last few years. Stamped with the name “Pray for Death”, this potent mixture of heroin and fentanyl was bushed throughout Staten Island, Long Island, and all of the boroughs. Authorities estimated that these drug dealers were selling over one kilogram of heroin per week. This arrest and so many others are the work of law enforcement that is working hard to put a dent in the heroin distribution rings on Staten Island.
Bad Batch of Heroin Circulating on Staten Island
According to reports, the heroin circulating throughout New York may be laced with Fentanyl, a powerful opioid painkiller that is given to terminally ill patients as a last resort. This narcotic is many times more powerful than heroin by itself, leading to the increase in opioid overdose deaths all over the country in recent years. The NY Daily News has reported on the recent surge in police activity in an effort to prevent further deaths linked to the bad batch of heroin:
“On Tuesday, six alleged heroin peddlers were nabbed in “Operation Beach Boys,” named after South Beach where the drugs were reputedly sold. And on Sept. 1, cops took down two alleged “kingpins” who authorities said ran Staten Island’s longest-running heroin ring.”
While the valiant efforts of police departments in the area may put a temporary dent in the operations of crime syndicates on Staten Island and throughout New York, new dealers often take the place of the ones that are arrested. This never-ending battle against drug lords pushing heroin on Staten Island has strained police departments, which are already short staffed and affected by various budget cuts.
The Heroin Addiction Epidemic Continues
Just in the last ten days, reports are coming in that 9 people have passed away directly as a result of heroin consumption on Staten Island. Pure heroin, often mixed with Fentanyl, is arriving in large quantities from Mexican cartels that have made the mass scale production of heroin a flawless science. This is no longer a local problem, but a national epidemic and more must be done in the highest echelons of the United States Government to prevent the easy accessibility of street drugs such as heroin. By raising awareness about the deadly results of this epidemic, we hope that inaction will turn into action and affected individuals will enter a drug rehab on Long Island for their addiction.