DEA officials said one kilogram of fentanyl is capable of killing up to 500,000 people. Officers discovered more than 15 pounds of fentanyl at a home in Nashville, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency. Metro Nashville Police and DEA agents conducted a search warrant at two homes on Luton Street on Wednesday. Detectives discovered 15.5 pounds of fentanyl, 123 grams …

An autopsy shows that a Tennessee toddler likely starved to death after his mother died of a drug overdose. A probation officer found the bodies of 32-year-old Tiffany Spears and her 15-month-old son, Nicholas Crowder, in their home in Portland, Tennessee, on February 9. A three-year-old girl was found alive in the home. There were no obvious signs of foul …

In disproportionate clusters from Cape Cod to San Diego, the opioid epidemic is taking a deadly toll on people’s mental health, suggested the findings of a new study by the researchers from the University of Cincinnati. Fatal opiate overdoses are most prevalent among six states: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, West Virginia, Indiana and Tennessee. But researchers identified 25 hot spots of …

Local Kootenai County law enforcement warn of ‘sharp increase’ in overdose deaths linked to the synthetic opioid. Over the past eight days, five people in Kootenai County died of suspected fentanyl overdoses. Authorities are warning the public about a “sharp increase” in fatal overdoses connected to the synthetic narcotic fentanyl in Kootenai County.  Five overdose deaths involving counterfeit prescription pills and other …

Those who track opioid overdoses in Nashville tell FOX 17 News during the pandemic, drug misuse trends have changed, and unfortunately could take years to get under control. Trevor Henderson is MPHD’s Director of Opioid Overdose Response and Reduction Program. He says this past year has been tough, and he wishes he had better news to share. “We thought 2018 …

A group of law enforcement officers that work to keep drugs and criminals off the streets in West Tennessee received a huge honor this week. The West Tennessee Drug Task Force interdiction team has been named the 2020 Team of the Year. These law enforcement officers reduce illegal drug trafficking, by working with 932 agencies along the major drug corridors …

Two people were arrested Monday after Indiana State Police say they were caught with $2 million worth of narcotics originating from Memphis. Ester Osegueda, 32, and Adam Lopez, 27, were pulled over in a Chrysler van by Indiana State Police on Interstate 70. Authorities said there were some indicators of criminal activity and the vehicle was searched, leading to the …

Savannah’s overdose deaths are climbing as those addicted to opioids seek pain medications on the street, many of which are laced with lethal fentanyl The following is an excerpt from a recent “The Commute” podcast discussion featuring Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team Director Michael Sarhatt. Comments have been condensed in the interest of space. The full interview is available at SavannahNow.com/podcasts or …

The nine members of the West Tennessee Drug Task Force were honored Friday for the work it did in 2020, with a  historic number of seizures and arrests in the face of the COVID pandemic. “These men and women go to work every day devoted to making west Tennessee safer. Safer for our children, to keep dangerous deadly drugs out …

In the war against opioid overdose deaths, Tennessee is winning one battle — doctors are prescribing pain pills at much lower rates — but still losing other battles. Tennessee doctors prescribed 43% fewer prescription opiates in 2018 (.82 prescriptions per person) than they did in 2010 (1.4 per person), following a national pattern. The state still sees some of the …