Cops and experts are warning Americans that the drug crack is back on the streets and has returned in levels not seen in decades.
Police Warn that Crack is Back on the Streets of America
Cops and prosecutors told The Post that a record influx of Colombian cocaine has spurred the return of crack — the cheap, smokable scourge that sparked a crime wave in New York in the late 1980s and 1990s.
“We’re seeing a resurgence of crack,” said Frank Tarentino, who heads the DEA’s New York Division, noting that other forms of cocaine are booming as well. “The demand never really went away, but the supply has increased exponentially.”
Crack cocaine is a form of cocaine that is made into a rock-like form and gets its name from the crackling sound when it is heated then smoked
The torrent of coke has driven down street prices to levels not seen in decades, according to law-enforcement officials, who say a single-use rock can be had for as little as $5.
Bridget Brennan, the city narcotics prosecutor, reports that crack gangs in upper Manhattan are fighting for control of street corners, similar to the battles dealers had over 30 years ago. This has resulted in turf wars erupting.
Street Corners are Getting Feisty
“The groups want to control the territory, and they have to sell a lot. If somebody else is encroaching on them, they’re not going to be able to do that,” Brennan told The Post.
“Historically we’ve seen violence associated with them, and certainly in our current investigation we’ve seen that.”
Law-enforcement sources report that besides crack, the city is also overflowing with cocaine, which used to be a sign of Wall Street extravagance but now sells for approximately $10 per “twist”.
The cellophane bags, fastened with string, hold two to three lines’ worth of powdered cocaine, making it an affordable recreational drug that is almost as cheap as marijuana.
Fentanyl Plays It’s Part
Casual users of cocaine and other illegal drugs face the risk of immediate fatality due to fentanyl, a highly potent and addictive opioid that is being increasingly mixed into these substances.
Law enforcement officials uncovered packing operations which mix cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, tramadol, and xylazine, also called “tranq”, a dangerous non-opioid that can enhance the effects of narcotics when taken together.
Xylazine has recently gained notoriety for its potentially life-threatening properties.
Among these, fentanyl is the strongest drug and the cheapest to make.
While fentanyl and heroin are often found in the same bricks or bundles, cocaine, and fentanyl typically don’t get mixed until this packacking stage.
Workers turn kilos into bags for dealers and glassine envelopes for individual buyers, prosecutors say.
If you are struggling with drug addition, please contact American Addiction Centers at 888-985-4252.
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