DEA agents prepare to raid a fentanyl lab in New Jersey. DEA photo, special to Blogfinger. © 2017
From the Asbury Park Press:
“The raids in Toms River, South Toms River and Berkeley took place in December, led by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Monmouth-Ocean High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force.”
Since 2012, 700 people died of drug overdoes in Monmouth and Ocean Counties . Heroin from Mexico (mostly via the Sinaloa cartel) was involved in most of those deaths, often mixed with other drugs such as fentanyl. Most of the latter is synthesized in Mexico, but some of it is pharmaceutical grade originating in the US. Fentanyl is extremely toxic, even in tiny doses. It was originally developed as an anesthetic agent for medical use.
In 2016, 64,000 individuals died of drug overdoses in the US.
Most of the recent arrests (Dec, Jan and Feb) in Monmouth and Ocean Counties were of both men and women. Heroin, powdered cocaine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, and cash were recovered. These arrests will usually lead to stiff Federal charges. 2 of those arrested were found to be members of the Sinaloa cartel.
The DEA Monmouth/Ocean office was set up by the regional office in Newark last year in response to the unusually high rates of drug deaths at the Shore. It is unclear as to why the overdose deaths here have been higher than in most counties in NJ. Typically Ocean County ranks 3rd in the State, while Monmouth is 5th.
Years ago there were drug dealers active in Ocean Grove. Long time Grovers can relate some stories about that. Note that marijuana remains a problem, but the cartel and distribution connections for fatal, powerful drugs remain the main focus of the DEA who work alongside local and state police agencies, including Neptune Township and the State Police.
Frank: Read the letter to the BF editor which came in on Feb 20 from someone in law enforcement.
And you did say in your first comment that “those profiting from illegal drugs (police, lawyers, prisons, etc.)” Since when does one look at a policeman’s salary and conclude that they are “profiting” from crime? That is outrageous.
Our post was about the successes of law enforcement in turning back the tide of illegal drugs coming into our communties.. After some initial attention to the subject of legalization, we are not going to turn Blogfinger into a forum about legalization of drugs.
Frank and Sheryl: How in the world do you imagine that police profit from illegal drugs?
Police are busy putting their lives on the line–protecting the public from the dangers of illegal drugs and the crimes/deaths that result.
You two must be blinded by ideology to insult the police that way.
Auto crashes are on the rise in the states with legalized marijuana. Coincidence…I think not.
We already have drunk drivers killing people whom we love. Are we then going to allow drugs to be legalized and they too can kill the innocent drivers?
I would rather let the police and lawyers benefit from profiting from illegal drugs, just so that there is less of a chance that one of us will get killed by them, under the influence of drugs.