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Treatment for addiction takes many forms and depends on the needs of the
individual. In accordance with the American Society of Addiction Medicine, we offer
information on outcome-oriented treatment that adheres to an established continuum of
care. In this section, you will find information and resources related to evidence-based
treatment models, counseling and therapy and payment and insurance options.
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life outside of rehab is fraught with the potential for relapse. Aftercare resources such as
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New York’s Organized Crime Task Force seized more than 33 kilograms of heroin, two kilograms of fentanyl and smaller quantities of cocaine in the largest drug bust in the agency’s 46-year history.
New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman called the investigation, dubbed “Operation Dirty Dope,” an extraordinary takedown.
“Operation Dirty Dope is another step in our multi-faceted effort to curb the heroin crisis that is destroying our communities,” Schneiderman said in a press release. “Our message to dealers and traffickers is simple: we will not tolerate anyone smuggling death into our state.”
The seized heroin has a street value of more than $13 million.
Most of the drugs were smuggled from Mexico to the United States using cars, buses and other vehicles. The substances travelled from Arizona to the Northeast region, including New York, Pennsylvania and central Massachusetts.
The substances were mixed with nail polish remover, chicken anesthetics or Novocain and stored in hidden compartments throughout various vehicles.
Schneiderman’s team also seized two firearms, one inscribed with a logo of the Mexican Sinaloa cartel, an international drug trafficking group.
Investigators and state police used wiretaps, confidential informants and video surveillance to track the drug offenders. During bail arguments, prosecutors said traffickers tested the potency of their concoctions on individuals with a heroin addiction.
In total, 25 people across the nation were indicted. Eight defendants could face life in prison. The other offenders face up to 25 years incarceration.
“The indictments lay on a broad and extremely sophisticated scheme to bring deadly drugs into our communities,” Schneiderman said in a news conference.
More than 14,600 people visited a New York City emergency department for opioid-related incidents in 2014, per a report by the New York State Department of Health. The rest of the state saw more than 21,500 visits.
Opioid-involved deaths in New York are at a record high. In 2014, 825 people died of heroin-related overdoses, per a report by the Office of the New York State Comptroller. It is an increase of 24 percent from the 2013 total.
The report also states that prescription opioids killed more than 1,000 people in New York in 2014, nearly quadrupling the 2005 total.
Opioid abuse has affected other parts of the Northeast United States as well. Since 2000, opioid-involved deaths in Massachusetts have increased by 350 percent. From 2013 to 2014, two-thirds of Massachusetts municipalities recorded an opioid-related fatality.
Michael J. Ferguson, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration special agent in charge, said heroin is causing deaths in record numbers across Massachusetts. He said drug trafficking groups are bringing drugs into the commonwealth, destroying many communities.
“Opioid abuse is at epidemic levels in Massachusetts and across the Northeast,” he said in a press release.
The DEA’s Louisville office is part of DEA 360, a comprehensive approach to ending drug abuse and trafficking as well as drug-related violent crime. Through the initiative, the DEA partners with the medical community, government agencies and social service organizations to raise awareness of the dangers of opioid misuse.
The program also provides long-term assistance and support for building drug-free communities.
The DEA emphasized their desire to use the program to target drug traffickers, specifically those who run these groups, rather than drug abusers.
“We need to be vigilant in addressing drug trafficking organizations.” DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Gorman told WDRB 41 Louisville News. “They are bringing [drugs] in large quantities into the area and we need to stop that flow or impact that flow as much as we can.”
Medical Disclaimer: DrugRehab.com aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with a substance use or mental health disorder with fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options and their related outcomes. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.
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View Sources
Canton, D. (2016, September 25). 'Operation Dirty Dope' traces heroin path from Mexico to Leominster.
Chayes, M. (2016, September 23). 33 kilos of heroin seized in drug bust, AG says.
Chinn, V. (2016, September 21). DEA announces new strategy to stop drug trafficking, drug violence and drug abuse.
Lovett, K. (2016, June 9). Heroin and opioid overdose deaths rise to record high in New York.
Massachusetts Department of Public Health. (2016, September). Data Brief: An Assessment of Opioid-Related Deaths in Massachusetts 2013-2014. Retrieved from http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/docs/dph/quality/drugcontrol/county-level-pmp/chapter-55-report.pdf
New York State Office of the Attorney General. (2016, September 23). A.G. Schneiderman, New York State Police, Massachusetts DEA Task Force Announce Takedown Of Nationwide Drug Ring In “Operation Dirty Dope” [Press Release].
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. (n.d.). DEA 360 Strategy: Working Together to Break the Cycle of Drug Trafficking, Drug Violence, and Drug Addiction.
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