Fentanyl blamed for more overdose deaths
By David Heinzmann
Tribune staff reporter
Published June 7, 2006, 5:07 PM CDT
Chicago police investigating the growing problem with Fentanyl-laced heroin are looking into seven suspected overdose deaths from Tuesday, authorities said.
Most of the victims, including three suburban residents, appeared to have bought drugs on the West Side of the city, police said. The victims included Joseph Krecker, 17, of Park Ridge, who graduated from Maine South High School on Sunday, school officials confirmed.
Krecker is the son of Jack Krecker, the deputy chief of police in Franklin Park. Family members declined comment Wednesday.
Investigators have confirmed that 60 people have died from Fentanyl, or a mixture of Fentanyl and other drugs, in Cook County in the last year. However, more than a dozen people have died from overdoses since the weekend, leading investigators to believe they may have several more Fentanyl-related deaths, said Tom Donahue, executive director of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program, a federal and local investigative task force located in Chicago.
wow, 60 deaths? Man, isn't fetnynyl expensive? Why would some one want to lace heroin with it?
60 deaths jesus wept.i presume the nice chicago health people didnt think maybe to give out methedone so addicts didnt have to worry about bangin this dodgy batch.a few yrs ago in ireland[also scotland&nth of england] a bad batch appeared about 20 deaths were recorded most addicts who came forward were put on a short term dose. the result more or less no more deaths. im not sure what contaminatedthe gear but it just goes to show the diff. between europe&the u.s.
