Fentanyl overdoses in San Diego and Imperial Counties have increased from last year. So far, it’s confirmed that 50 people have died from fentanyl overdoses, and another 28 are also suspected of having been killed from the same drug. The region’s top federal prosecutor says that stopping that trend is one of his top priorities.
“At this pace, the region will have 130 fentanyl overdose deaths by the end of the year which would represent a 47 percent increase from last year and a 787 percent increase from five years ago,” said Southern District of California U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer.
After four fentanyl deaths within 24 hours last week, Brewer issued a public safety alert to drug users, alerting them that a lethal strain of fentanyl designed to look like oxycodone is being sold in San Diego.
To combat the rise in fentanyl deaths, Brewer reiterated that federal prosecutors would continue to press criminal charges against drug dealers who distribute drugs that result in overdose deaths. Since becoming a U.S. Attorney, Brewer created a special section within the U.S. Attorney’s office to focus on border enforcement.
In addition to Brewer’s efforts, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department was the first in California to use Naloxone in treating overdoses. This development has proved crucial in the fight against the ongoing epidemic of drug abuse.
The Border Enforcement Section will handle all drug smuggling cases as well as illegal entry into the United States. At this point, Brewer is calling the rise in overdose deaths “a crisis.”
