Super-Strong Heroin Causing Wave of Overdoses in Camden, Police Say
By Mike DeNardo
CAMDEN, N.J. (CBS) -- Police in Camden, NJ say what appears to be an especially pure batch of heroin has sent more than a dozen people to the hospital in the last 24 hours.
Police say there have been 15 overdose calls -- none fatal -- in the last day. All but one of the 15 victims lived in the suburbs but bought the heroin in Camden, according to Camden County police chief Scott Thomson.
"We do have leads on locations -- it's not one particular location," Thomson (in top photo) tells KYW Newsradio. "We have several different 'stamps' that are being apprised to us from the victims themselves and from the hospitals as well."
Thomson says initial testing showed the heroin was not mixed with fentanyl; it was simply believed to be especially pure.
He wouldn't comment on which "stamp" or "brand" of heroin police were investigating, for fear of driving more addicts to that seller.
Thomson says 12 of the overdose calls came in over the noon hour Tuesday, including one victim he saw himself along the Admiral Wilson Boulevard.