BERRIEN COUNTY — The Berrien County Prosecutor’s Office is warning residents that there has been an “extraordinary number” of opioid deaths and opioid overdose recoveries within the past two weeks.

Authorities have launched an investigation, and preliminary findings indicate that the spike in overdoses and deaths could be the result of a higher than usual amount of fentanyl in opioid mixtures, according to Berrien County Prosecutor Michael Sepic.

Fentanyl is a potent opiate that is often used by dealers because the synthetic version of this product is less expensive than heroin itself. According to Sepic, the drug is not distinguishable and therefore users and dealers alike would not be aware of its presence. 

While autopsy reports have yet to be released and the investigation is in its earliest stages, Sepic said he felt it was imperative to warn residents about the danger of fentanyl.

“I just felt that if there was a common theme of a higher percentage of fentanyl and deaths resulting that a message should get out there that something is wrong,” Sepic said. “It is wrong anyway that people are using this stuff, but especially wrong if it is causing all this.”

According to Sepic, there have been four deaths and four known Narcan saves in the past two weeks. He said an “unusual number” of emergency room treatments for overdose have also been observed.

“In the context of roughly 30 of these a year, four over the course of two weeks is high,” Sepic said.

The statistics for heroin-based overdose deaths are approximately 30 deaths a year in the course of the last several years, prosecutors said, with a slight downward trend last year. The prosecutor’s office speculated that the decline was possibly due to the prevalence of Naloxone (Narcan), the antidote for an overdose used by police officers, medic crews, and many others.

The prosecutor’s office is advising those with family or friends who use opiates to make them aware that that the source of their supply could be part of this recent deadly mixture. Officials added that more importantly, substance abuse treatment should be encouraged.  Information is available at the Berrien County Health Department at (269) 927-5668 or Carol’s Hope at (269) 556-1526.

Delivery of these controlled substances is a crime and delivery of such a substance that results in a death is punishable by life in prison or any term of years, the prosecutor’s office stated.

Sepic said local authorities are investigating these incidents and prosecution decisions will be made as the investigations conclude. Those who have information relating to recent incidents described above are advised to contact their local law enforcement agency, Crime Stoppers at (574) 288-STOP or 800-342-STOP, or the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department tip line at bcsheriff.org/FormCenter/Sheriffs-Department-7/Tip-Form-48.