Police Issue Warning Of Tainted Heroin

The Hancock County Sheriff's Office has issued a warning of a batch of heroin believed to be tainted with fentanyl that's causing overdoses.

In a post on the department's Facebook page, Hancock County officials say 4 overdoses in the Hancock/Washington county areas were dealt with in a span of 3 hours. All the users were revived through the application of Narcan, but they were lucky. If deputies hadn't arrived in time, the outcome would have been much different.

Law enforcement officials across the state are cautioning Mainers to warn their loved ones battling addiction that there is a deadly batch of heroin circulating. They believe the heroin is laced with fentanyl, which is a powerful opioid. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency, fentanyl is much more potent than heroin so, in the case of an overdose, multiple applications of Narcan may be needed to revive a patient. That's what law enforcement has been experiencing in Maine this weekend.

While the Hancock County Sheriff's Office normally spends their time enforcing drug laws, they say it's their moral obligation to warn Mainers who are addicted that the current batch is especially deadly. They ask that folks spread the word and urge caution.