AUGUSTA — After seven opiate overdoses in five days, the Augusta Police Department is warning people that a “highly lethal” supply of heroin has surfaced in Augusta.
“Investigators from the Augusta Police Department have been told that a supply of ‘killer’ heroin has landed in the Augusta area,” Deputy Chief Kevin Lully wrote in the Wednesday afternoon release.
Lully said the increase in overdoses took place from Aug. 31 to Sept. 4. It is not clear if any were fatal.
“Again, this heroin is highly lethal and the Augusta Police Department cautions anyone who may come into contact with it,” the release said.
The Kennebec County Sheriff’s Lt. Chris Read said in a Thursday statement that his agency are aware of the lethal heroin.
“The Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office would like to reiterate the message from the Augusta Police Department that there is a dangerous heroin product being distributed in Central Maine at this time that is potentially lethal,” the release said.
Read said on Sept. 3 that sheriff’s department personnel responded to Litchfield for a heroin overdose that required two doses of Narcan to revive the victim.
Neither Lully nor Augusta Police Chief Jared Mills were available for comment at press time.
Anyone with information on this highly lethal form of heroin is asked to contact the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office or their local law enforcement agency.
Sam Shepherd — 621-5666
Twitter: @SamShepME
Portland paramedics respond to a call of a heroin overdose on Congress Street near the intersection of India Street in 2015. The 29 year-old woman regains consciousness after being administered 1mg of Narcan to combat the effects of the heroin. She later said that she usually shoots up twice daily with gram doses, but had only used gram because she had heard that it was strong heroin. (Portland Press Herald file photo)
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