Sen. Ron Wyden announced new legislation Friday aimed at stopping drugs like fentanyl from reaching Portland's streets. A federal report shows drug traffickers mainly use Oregon State Highways to move drugs and cash throughout the region, and they do it in a way to avoid traffic stops.
"Criminals, sophisticated criminals, are exploiting a loophole in the law," Wyden said at news conference Friday, declaring that he wanted to give U.S. Customs and Border Patrol the tools to go after fentanyl "in a laser-focused way."
The loophole allows small packages to cross the border without an inspection, and the gap has tragic consequences when fentanyl makes its way to places like Portland. A recent report showed that there are an average of 36 overdose deaths each month in Multnomah County.
"We often talk about the river of addiction leading to a waterfall, and some people may overdose and fall off and start to drown at the bottom," said Multnomah County Health Officer Dr. Richard Bruno.
It's no secret that there are plenty of drugs on the streets of downtown Portland, but that doesn't mean they're easy to get.
"There's things that an individual has to do to get the drug to earn it," said Flocko, who is homeless and addicted to methamphetamines, speaking to KGW.
On Friday, Flocko was told by his dealer to keep an eye on a woman and make sure she didn't overdose on fentanyl, in exchange for meth.
"Sit with her and check in with her, make sure — if she stops breathing, call it in," he explained.
And the dealers are watching, he added.
Moments later, he abruptly turned his attention to the woman after she became unresponsive, asking if she could breathe and preparing to administer the overdose-reversal drug Narcan if necessary. She began breathing again on her own, but Flocko described the incident as a close call.