DANVILLE, Va. – The Danville Police Department is warning the public about a potentially deadly batch of heroin laced with illegally sourced fentanyl or a similar substance.
Several individuals required medical treatment within the last week after they took what they believed to be heroin. The individuals were from Danville and the surrounding area.
Danville Police are not aware of any deaths attributed to this series of overdoses.
The Danville Police Department was notified of these overdoses by family and friends of the patients who overdosed. Police immediately began an investigation and have arrested one man suspected of trafficking the batch of drugs contributing to the overdoses. He is identified as 28-year-old Damion Q. Reed. Reed is charged with intent to distribute a controlled substance and intent to distribute marijuana.
Despite the arrest, police say the investigation is ongoing and the risk for anyone coming into contact with this batch of illegal drugs still exists.
According to the Center for Disease Control: “Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid pain reliever, approved for treating severe pain…It is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine…It is often mixed with heroin and/or cocaine as a combination product—with or without the user’s knowledge—to increase its euphoric effects…much of the synthetic opioid overdose increase may be due to illegally made fentanyl.”
Anyone with information on this case to contact Danville Police through our CARE app to report crime tips or 434-793-0000.