ECSO closes drug home with sufficient fentanyl to kill 1.5 million folks

In a video posted to Fb Wednesday afternoon, Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons reveals off the spoils of two drug homes the division raided, together with sufficient fentanyl to kill everybody in Escambia County – plus loads of our neighbors.

Simmons stated the Escambia County Sheriff’s Workplace Narcotics Unit served search warrants at two properties, one on fiftieth Avenue and one on Teakwood Circle, the place they discovered weapons, medicine, money and invaluable attire allegedly bought with drug cash.

“Behind me, you will see a desk full of medication, full of cash, stuffed with sneakers, all kinds of stuff drug sellers purchase,” Simmons stated within the video. “However for those who look proper right here … that is about 3 kilos of fentanyl and 5 kilos of methamphetamine.”

In response to the Drug Enforcement Administration, 2 milligrams of fentanyl are thought of a deadly dose. Three kilograms, or 3,000,000 milligrams, could be sufficient to kill roughly 1.5 million folks.

Florida’s population, in keeping with an Workplace of Financial and Demographic Analysis report, is estimated to be round 22.6 million as of April 1, 2023. Meaning the ECSO confiscated sufficient fentanyl from the 2 properties to probably kill round 6.6% of the state’s inhabitants.

Simmons stated in addition they confiscated over $62,000.

Escambia County nonetheless struggles overdose fee in Florida

The Pensacola medical district, which incorporates Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties, maintains one of many highest overdose charges within the state.

In response to the 2022 Medication Recognized in Deceased Individuals report, the newest out there information, the district reported 372 fentanyl deaths between January and December. In response to the report, 335 of the deaths had been attributable to fentanyl, and within the remaining 37 deaths fentanyl was current within the decedent’s system.

Of all of the deaths, six concerned folks underneath 18, 19 concerned folks aged 18-25, 85 concerned folks aged 26-34, 140 concerned folks aged 35-50, and 122 concerned folks above the age of fifty.

The Information Journal reported final 12 months that the Pensacola medical district was the deadliest space in Florida for opioid-related deaths.

Associated: Numbers ‘they can’t ignore’: Northwest Florida sees 354% increase in fentanyl deaths

On the time of publication, solely the 2022 Interim Medication Recognized in Deceased Individuals had been launched, which confirmed information between January and June 2022. On the time, 350 folks within the Pensacola medical district died with opioids of their system, and 217 of these deaths had been of fentanyl or its analogous elements.

By the top of 2022, 624 folks died with opioids of their system, and 398 of these deaths had been of fentanyl or its analogous elements.

Information pulled from the Florida Division of Well being for age-adjusted deaths from drug poisoning discovered that 75 Escambia County residents die from drug poisoning per 100,000 inhabitants, greater than double the state common.

Santa Rosa County’s drug overdose fee was 34.1, Okaloosa County’s was 54.1 and Walton County’s was 36.

Florida fentanyl deaths dip 3% since 2018

In February, Florida Legal professional Normal Ashley Moody introduced information at a press convention with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office to debate how the state is faring towards a nationwide rise in overdoses and what specialists are calling a deadly drug crisis.

For the primary time since 2018, the annual report confirmed a 3% drop within the variety of drug-related deaths in Florida.

Moody, who spoke alongside Florida Division of Legislation Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass and Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods, linked the decline to the partnership between state authorities and native legislation enforcement.

One of many coverage measures praised throughout the convention was opening up the supply of Narcan, a drugs that is available in a twig type able to reversing an opioid overdose.

Brandon Girod contributed to this report.

This text initially appeared on Pensacola Information Journal: Fentanyl drug house in Pensacola could kill 1.5 million people