Cherokee County’s top drug cops said heroin seizures and arrests were up dramatically through the first quarter of 2015.
Phil Price, commander of the Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad, said agents have seized more than $8,400 worth of heroin this year, compared with $11,000 for all of 2014. He said CMANS has made 10 heroin arrests so far this year, with only 20 recorded all of last year.
Price said the trend’s being driven by an influx of and price drop in Mexican heroin, which now sells for about $100 a gram, a third of the cost three years ago. He said the cartels have found it to be higher-profit and easier to smuggle than other controlled substances.
CMANS is tightening enforcement. Price said they’re focusing more on even small heroin cases and working closely with federal drug agencies.
About the Author
