2006 Media Releases:

CAMDEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE
JAMES P. LYNCH, ACTING CAMDEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR
MEDIA INFORMATION

April 20, 2006

Acting Camden County Prosecutor James P. Lynch issued an alert today concerning a recent rash of apparent heroin overdoses in Camden County, including several that were fatal.

Lynch, whose office responds to unattended deaths in the county along with local police, reported that three men died yesterday in separate cases of apparent adverse reactions to heroin – two in Camden City, ages 35 and 47, and a 26-year-old in Gloucester City. Official causes of death are awaiting toxicology reports, but investigation of personal histories and physical evidence strongly suggests all three men died from heroin overdoses.

In addition, three men in their early 20s were hospitalized last night for adverse reactions to heroin after they collapsed in an Oaklyn apartment. All three of those subjects survived.

“It is a well known medical fact that heroin is an extremely dangerous drug under any circumstances. This recent spate of deaths and illnesses indicates there may be a particularly strong or contaminated strain of heroin circulating in the Camden County area,” Lynch said.

The three subjects in the Oaklyn case reported that they purchased the heroin on the street in Camden last night, then went to the residence of one of them to use the drug. Immediately upon ingesting the heroin, the three collapsed into unconsciousness. Friends who had not ingested the drug called 911, and the three subjects were rushed to Cooper University Hospital, where they were stabilized.

In addition to yesterday’s deaths, a 27-year-old female died in Magnolia on Friday and a 47-year-old male died on Sunday in Winslow, both from apparent heroin overdoses.

Lynch noted that although Camden is considered the drug-trafficking hub of South Jersey, many of the overdoses have occurred in suburban towns.

“This is a county-wide threat,” he said.
As is customary for narctoics sold on the street, heroin recovered at the various scenes was in small plastic bags that were “branded,” that is, marked for identification by dealers and customers. The following markings were found: Flatline, Exorcist, 24/7, LeanBack, Monkey, Echo and Al Capone.

“When people buy illegal drugs on the street and ingests them, they really have no idea what they are putting into their bodies,” Lynch said. “As recent events clearly demonstrate, that can be a deadly mistake.”

Lynch noted that if the sellers of the deadly drugs could be identified, they could face serious criminal charges, including drug distribution and causing a drug-induced death, a first-degree crime, and/or homicide charges.