FOUR men have been hospitalized due to fentanyl in Fort Lauderdale, just days after six military cadets overdosed while celebrating spring break.
Fire rescue crews found the men, ages 26 to 39, in a residence that contained “drug residue” on Sunday, according to the sheriff’s office.
All four men were using cocaine when two of them went into cardiac arrest. The other two gave them mouth-to-mouth and were exposed to fentanyl, all being hospitalized as a result.
One man remains in the hospital on a ventilator and the other three have been released.
This comes as six West Point cadets were involved in a mass overdose from fentanyl that affected seven spring breakers and sent them to the hospital. Several went into cardiac arrest, according to public safety officials.
They arrested 21-year-old Axel Giovany Casseus in relation to this incident. He has been charged with trafficking cocaine, however, not with supplying the drugs to the college students.
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In a hearing on Saturday, deputies testified that the spring breakers had Casseus’ phone number and negotiated a deal with the alleged drug dealer.
He admitted to participating in the transaction.
Friday, undercover officers set up a drug deal with Casseus and he sold them 43 grams of a substance believed to be cocaine for $1,000, according to authorities.
However, officials do not believe the drug contained fentanyl, the opioid that was found in relation to the spring breakers’ overdose.
“The problem is, [the sergeant] can’t connect the fentanyl to this defendant,” said the judge present in the hearing.
Casseus’ bond has been set at $50,000.
Authorities are still investigating this incident.
In the midst of spring break with many young lives at risk of potentially fatal drugs, Florida officials are warning spring breakers to stay vigilant.
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“We’re seeing more cases testing positive for both cocaine and fentanyl,” said Liz Zaney, a toxicologist with the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office.
The US Sun has reached out to the Fort Lauderdale Police Department for a comment on these incidents.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, call the drug overdose hotline at 1-800-662-4357.
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