METAMORA, Ill. – $71 million.
That’s the value Illinois State Police says is of 400 percent more fentanyl, 260 percent more heroin, and 190 percent more meth seized by law enforcement, among other illegal drugs, last fiscal year.
“While we all have been very focused on a pandemic for the past couple years, as we should be, there has contiuned to be an ongoing epidemic when it comes particularly to overdoses related to opioids,” said Brendan Kelly, Illinois State Police Director. According to Kelly, statewide, 1,072 people died from opioid-related deaths in 2013. That number increased to 2,944 in 2020. He suggested the epidemic would be growing, pandemic or not.
As for getting drugs off the streets, Kelly credits several Multi-County Narcotics Enforcement Groups statewide — including one covering Peoria, Tazewell, Woodford, and Knox Counties in this area.
“P-MEG (Peoria Multi-County Narcotics Enforcement Group) agents made 25 seizures of illegally-possessed cannabis, cocaine, crack, ecstasy, fentanyl, heroin, LSD, methamphetamine, pharmaceuticals, and other dangerous drugs with an estimated street value of just over $665,000,” said Woodford County Sheriff Matt Smith, chair of the PMEG board. he says there were 42 cases last year, with 36 of those being closed, and the rest remaining open.
As for how there continue to be drugs coming into the state, he says there is a “Walmart-ization” of drug distribution.
“What you’re seeing now is almost a business-like sophistication by those cartels that are in places like Mexico and South America, that see markets — they see opportunities to, again, sell to people who are dealing with addiction issues,” said Kelly, who also believes many of the drugs coming into the country are being made in more “lab-like” atmospheres.
Kelly also partially credits a three-pronged approach being taken to addressing the issue, despite increases in opioid deaths: prevention, education, and treatment.
Kelly addressed a news conference Wednesday at the Illinois State Police District 8 Headquarters near Metamora.
Statistics, supplied by Illinois State Police, are below.
(SOURCE: Illinois State Police)
Peoria Multi-County Narcotics Enforcement Group (SOURCE: Illinois State Police)
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