Hybrid heroin suspected in two Brockton deaths

Brockton police investigating sudden deaths of two women over weekend; may be drug overdoses.

Staff Reporter

Authorities say they're on the lookout for heroin laced with the powerful prescription drug fentanyl after two women were found dead of suspected drug overdoses in Brockton over the weekend.

Fentanyl is typically used to ease the pain of end-stage cancer patients or in anesthesia, but it may kill quickly when coupled with another substance. Authorities in New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island say dozens have died from heroin tainted with fentanyl in recent weeks.

Taunton police have linked it, and a potent form of heroin, to the recent high rate of overdoses in the Silver City.

Police responded to four overdoses in Taunton on Saturday alone.

While Brockton police say they have yet to see heroin tainted with fentanyl in the city, they're watching closely for street use of the deadly drug, said Brockton police Lt. Paul Bonanca.

"You don't know what's out there and you don't know what it's laced with," Bonanca said Monday. "We're not sure what we're seeing right now. The lab has to determine what it is."

Brockton police are investigating the sudden deaths of two women on Friday and Saturday who died of suspected drug overdoses.

A 48-year-old woman was found dead when officers responded to a Crestfield Terrace home at 7:50 p.m. Friday, police Lt. Paul Bonanca said.

The next day, a 27-year-old woman was found dead in a North Manchester Street apartment when police responded there at 11:19 p.m. Saturday, Bonanca said.

The deaths were among at least five suspected drug overdoses in Brockton from Friday through Sunday.

Police said officers responded to three reported overdoses where the victims survived, including in a Nilsson Street apartment at 7:11 p.m. Saturday and outside a Pleasant Street business at 9:15 a.m. Sunday.

Authorities say dealers sell the heroin as a super high because fentanyl is so potent that just a small amount can stop someone's breathing.

As more people are turning to heroin because of crackdowns on prescription drugs, authorities worry more may be exposed to fentanyl.

It has been reported in bags of heroin stamped with "Bud Light," "Theraflu" and "Income Tax."

"They think they're buying heroin and they're not," said Whitman Detective Eric Campbell, a member of the WEB Major Crimes and Drug Task Force, which is comprised of several local police agencies.

"You don't know what they're cutting it with," Campbell said. "They could be cutting it with baby formula or rat poison. It could be anything. It's very concerning."

Whitman police are awaiting toxicology results to determine what killed a Whitman man who died of a suspected drug overdose earlier this month, Campbell said.

He is among local officers who warned against use of heroin tainted with fentanyl – or any illegal drug.

"There is an epidemic of drug activity and we do our best efforts to try and contain it," Bonanca said. "But people have to be aware that these are dangerous narcotics that people need to stay away from."

This story contains information from The Associated Press. Maria Papadopoulos may be reached at mpapa@enterprisenews.com or follow on Twitter @MariaP_ENT.