The Drug Enforcement Agency has deployed six regional enforcement teams to focus on heroin and fentanyl trafficking in communities across the country, the Washington Examiner reports.
"At a time when overdose deaths are at catastrophic levels, the DEA's top priority is addressing the opioid epidemic and pursuing the criminal organizations that distribute their poison to our neighborhoods," acting DEA administrator Robert Patterson said in the announcement.
"These teams will enhance DEA's ability to combat trafficking in heroin, fentanyl, and fentanyl analogues and the violence associated with drug trafficking."
The teams will go to areas heavily affected by drug addiction: Long Island, New York; New Bedford, Massachusetts; Charleston, West Virginia; Raleigh, North Carolina and both Cincinnati and Cleveland, Ohio.
"New York and Long Island in particular is getting an A-Team to help tackle the heroin and fentanyl epidemic and it couldn't come soon enough," Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement, according to Newsday.
"As the overdoses related to illicit fentanyl and other synthetic opioids increase, the new enforcement team will help the NYPD, Long Island and other local police departments across the state contain and beat back the dangerous tide," he continued.
"We must not let off the gas pedal in the fight against opioid dealers, abuse and death in New York."
Almost 500 people died after overdosing on opioids in Suffolk and Nassau counties in Long Island, more than ever recorded before.
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