2 Harrison residents die after snorting tainted heroin, 6 arrested

HARRISON, New York (WABC) -- There is an epidemic of heroin overdoses. Tainted heroin is now responsible for several recent deaths in the Tristate area.

Tuesday night, the DEA says the number of heroin overdoses is rising faster than any other illicit drug.

It's yet another chapter in a nationwide crisis.

This time, two Harrison residents died after snorting and injecting tainted heroin.

It is street named "UFO"

First, a 26-year-old man died Thursday and then a 29-year-old woman died Friday.

Within 48 hours, police arrested six people, including 27-year-old Jeffrey "Flee" McCaskill who is described as a prominent Bronx dealer.

Each is accused of playing a part in getting the victims the deadly drugs.

"As the prescription medication becomes harder to get, people resort to heroin. And this heroin is obviously laced with something that's causing people to die," said Chief Anthony Marraccini, Harrison Police Department.

Chief Marraccini says it's a problem that's growing worse in the tristate.

New Haven police arrested three men Monday, believing they are responsible for at least 12 overdoses including three deaths in Connecticut.

Prosecutors allege that the victims thought they were purchasing cocaine, but the substance turned out to be pure fentanyl.

And in Staten Island, at least 48 people died from overdoses this year alone.

15 detectives were recently added to investigate this frightening trend.

In Brooklyn, police arrested two men over the weekend for allegedly running a massive drug operation out of an unassuming Bushwick candy store

There too police found large amounts of fentanyl, a powerful prescription painkiller often used to cut and enhance heroin.

"It needs to be stopped. We're losing people daily to these types of overdoses," Chief Marraccini said.

Now, Harrison police are working on a neighborhood intervention.

It's an opportunity for people to go there to get help, and not have to worry about getting arrested.