Oxford, Mississippi Chief of Police: Drugs on the Streets May Have Lethal Doses of Fentanyl in Them

On Monday, September 14, 2020, our office was notified about a post that was circulating social media that referenced narcotics in Oxford. In 2020, our agency has responded to 11 narcotic overdoses. Of those overdoses, two were fatal. The Lafayette County Metro Narcotics unit works closely with the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the Drug Enforcement Agency to investigate and trace these events.

We know that many people are accessing drugs through the dark net and receiving narcotics through the mail. Our agents have also traced these drugs back to our surrounding states through their investigations. When
drugs are accessed through these means, we know two things happen, the user does not know what they are getting or where it is coming from and it diminishes law enforcements ability to track and locate the source.
We implore our community to never take drugs! Taking an unknown substance can have life altering results.

In recent field tests our agents have found that our street level drugs had traces of Fentanyl in them. Drugs are being cut and processed with Fentanyl so that the dealer can produce more of the drug. The human body can
only withstand a small microgram dose of Fentanyl. Cross contamination of any drug laced with Fentanyl can be deadly and that’s a risk not worth taking!

Mississippi’s Good Samaritan Law protects someone from prosecution when they call 911 for themselves or a friend when medical attention is requested. We ask our community to contact us if you have any information
about narcotic use or distribution in the Lafayette, Oxford, or University communities. You can reach our Metro Narcotics Unit at 662-236-3900.

Sincerely,
Jeff McCutchen
Chief of Police

Tags: Fentanyl, Good Samaritan Law, Lafayette County, Lafayette County Metro Narcotics, Mississippi, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the Drug Enforcement Agency, overdoses, Oxford, university

About the Author

Oxford Police Department The Oxford Police Department is housed 715 Molly Barr Road. The department has more than 70 full-time officers and staff and provides a wide range of protection and enforcement services. The Police Department has a community-oriented policing philosophy and provides around-the-clock patrols. Other services include crime prevention programs, such as Neighborhood Watch and D.A.R.E., as well as specialized units including Mounted Patrol, K-9 Unit, DUI Enforcement and the City Dispatch. Crime Reports provided to The Local Voice come directly from the Oxford Police Department.