Top law enforcement officials in Cass County are expressing concerns about recent drug activity in the area. A joint statement issued by Sheriff Darby McClaren and Police Chief Dave Erickson, says “Southwest Iowa has had numerous recent incidents where young people in the area are overdosing on Fentanyl. This overdosing is causing people in the area to stop breathing and sometimes die. Law enforcement and emergency responders have saved a number of overdosed people, but have also found several deceased. In many cases the victims are taking pills that they believe to be Oxycontin, or they don’t even know what they are taking.

“These pills are obviously dangerous, because the people making the pills have no expertise on how to properly make these pills. One pill may give the drug user the high they are looking for, and the next pill may be their death sentence. Young people in the area are experimenting with these drugs.” The Sheriff and Chief say “We urge parents to talk to their children, even children old enough to be out of their house about the choices they are making with illicit drugs. Drugs specifically that they think were manufactured and dispensed by a doctor or pharmacy. The drugs law enforcement are seeing are made to look exactly like the drugs that the doctors and pharmacies are prescribing. Do not take or buy drugs from anyone except ones that are prescribed to you from a doctor.”

Both men add, “If law enforcement can help please let us know, feel free to contact the Cass County Sheriff’s or the Atlantic Police Dept. We would encourage people with information on who is selling the drugs to please contact us.”