DA: Heroin Price and Availability a Deadly Combination

LIVINGSTON COUNTY — Recent heroin arrests and overdoses have lately made more headlines than ever in Livingston County, and sent shock waves across the Genesee Valley.

Since law enforcement officers have started carrying Naloxone, an antidote for overdoses from opiates like heroin, there have been at least four instances of first responders saving the lives of apparent overdose victims.

“In two years we are seeing a lot more heroin related cases,” said Livingston County District Attorney Greg McCaffrey.  “Heroin is a very, very dangerous drug. It’s pretty scary when something that dangerous is available at such a cheap price.”

According to McCaffrey, the problem used to be prescription pain pills. Since those are not so readily available people are now turning to heroin.

“You have no idea what you are getting when you buy heroin,” said DA McCaffrey.  “There is no constant dosage. One ‘bag’ or ‘pop’ could be death.”

The Livingston County District Attorney’s Office and the Livingston County Sheriffs Office are being proactive in the attack on the drugs. Educating officials at local schools on the effects and signs of heroin abuse.

“The Sheriffs Office and the DA’s Office are working together with local schools on what we are seeing on the streets,” said DA McCaffrey. “Today’s 13 and 14-year-old kids were yesterday’s college kid. These kids are way more mature than in the past.”

The issue is widespread across western New York. According to DA McCaffrey, law enforcement offices are discovering meth labs and heroin mills in neighboring counties, thus the frequent arrests of traffickers.

“The Sheriff’s Office is doing a great job,” said McCaffrey. “They are cracking down on drugs that are being trafficked through our County. Imagine the amount of drugs that would be out there if they had not made these arrests.”

Another piece of the problem for Livingston County, however, comes from local residents who travel to nearby cities and bring drugs with them back into the community.

“On any street corner in city of Rochester you can find the drug,” said DA McCaffrey. Every batch is different  and you don’t know what your going to get. That one bag out of 70 could be a death sentence.”