Fentanyl is coming into Baltimore and Philadelphia ports.
Frederick, Md. (BW)- Fentanyl caused more than 2,000 deaths in the state of Maryland and 107,000 deaths in the U.S. in 2022.
FBI Special Agent and member of the Eastern Panhandle Drug and Violent Crimes Taskforce, Jeff Cisar, said fentanyl is taking over the drug game.
According to the Maryland Department of Health, fentanyl only caused around 350 deaths in 2015. Since 2016 that number has remained above 1,000. 2020 was the first year that number reached above 2,000.
Drugs such as cocaine, marijuana, heroin and methamphetamine are often laced with fentanyl.
These drugs tend to be made into pills that look like other prescription opioids.
Cisar said that often times, drug users don’t know or care what they are buying, they just want drugs.
Fentanyl is not being made in the United States, however, Cisar said that much of the drug is coming across the southern border and into major port cities like Baltimore and Philadelphia.
Federal, state and local taskforces are working together to tackle illegal drug use in the region and across the whole nation.