Police: ODs Could be Linked to Fentanyl-Laced Heroin

Police in Portsmouth and Salem say they are investigating the possibility that a spate of recent overdoses in the area may be connected to recent cases involving fentanyl-laced heroin in Pennsylvania and New York.

Twenty-two people in Pennsylvania have died of heroin tainted with fentanyl in the past two weeks, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Similar cases were reported in New York last year as well. Fentanyl is a powerful narcotic often used by cancer patients as a pain reliever.

Salem Police responded to three heroin overdoses earlier this week, and Portsmouth Police responded to three overdoses in a 24-hour period last week. One of those people, Simone Sclafani, later died. Police in both communities have said they believe a bad batch of heroin may have been to blame.

Salem Deputy Police Chief Shawn Patten said Wednesday that a connection to the fentanyl-laced heroin in Pennsylvania is "definitely possible," and his department is "looking into that."

Portsmouth Police Capt. Mike Schwartz said his department is also looking into the possibility that the heroin used by the three people who overdosed in Portsmouth may have been tainted with fentanyl.

"Yes, that's certainly one of the things we're waiting on lab analysis to determine," he said.