Newsday (New York)
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Police arrested 14 people Monday in two drug raids after an investigation sparked by a rash of heroin-related deaths in western New York.
Authorities said a nearly pure form of heroin led to lethal overdoses in at least eight people this year, including a 29-year-old D’Youville College student found dead in the campus library last month.
Narcotics detectives targeted two Buffalo houses they believed were the drug’s main source, recovering several bags of heroin. Two suspected drug dealers, Pedro Baez and Alex Fernandez, were arrested and charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance.
Twelve others at the properties were charged with loitering and some also face drug possession charges.
“We are attempting to get this heroin off the streets and save the lives of these addicts,” Lt. Thomas Lyon said.