Fight against fentanyl is challenging due to its various forms, sheriff's office says

ST. LANDRY PARISH, La. (KLFY) -- In the fight to get fentanyl off the streets, the St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office said it has been a constant process of adapting.

Maj. Mark LeBlanc said the law enforcement agency has put a huge emphasis on narcotics while fentanyl, and the deaths caused by it, have become a more prominent issue.

"On the law enforcement side, it's certainly been a game changer over the past few years. The tragedy of the loss of life involving this drug is just beyond belief," LeBlanc said.

One of the biggest challenges law enforcement faces is that fentanyl comes in various forms, from power to pills.

"Some have even been formed to look like candy. So, if you're not getting candy from a reliable source, you opened bags, partially opened bags, or bags that don't resemble the actual product, they are all indicators that this could be an illegal narcotic and it certainly could be fentanyl," LeBlanc said.

LeBlanc said it's going to come down to training and public awareness in order to get fentanyl off the streets.

"Trying to stay abreast of the variations of forms that this narcotic is being moved. What precautions to take, try and develop as much key intelligence as to who's moving it, what areas, the methods of movement. It's helping the public to understand how potentially dangerous this is," he said.

"Media exposure, social media exposure, both by our media partners and, of course, law enforcement to try and help inform the public of the risk inherent risks of this drug," he continued.

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