OCALA. FL (352today.com) – It often starts with the initial ingredients coming from China then to Mexico where cartels mix it together to form fentanyl or mix with other substances. It can look like just prescribed drugs used to fight extreme pain but on the street in illegal forms it is often deadly.
Roger Handberg the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida says dealers don’t always know or care how deadly what they are pushing can be. He says it doesn’t lessen the consequences for them.
He apologized to the Ocala Metro Chamber & Economic Partnership (CEP) for delivering such serious remarks as guest speaker at the group’s December breakfast. He said the people in this room are the community leaders so he thought they should know how serious the problem with illegal fentanyl is not only in his central Florida district but also nationwide.
https://youtu.be/nf1wPTnOzK0
There is some slight encouraging news. A recent report by the statewide drug policy advisory council shows a slight drop in Florida overdose deaths after sharp increases for years but it is very much an everyday threat as described by Handberg to the audience.
|OVERCOMING OPIOID ADDICTION: Reducing barriers to getting help to overcome drug addiction: Unique approach in Ocala puts all services in one place
He also said an increasing threat to business is ransomware attacks. These threats are often handled by the FBI but he says they are seeing more and more of it and with greater sophistication.
Other CEP Headlines
Kevin Sheilley, President and CEO of the Ocala Metro CEP, announced a new addition to the Marion County Commerce Park. He said Broadrange Logistics has leased a recently completed 350,000 square foot spec building and plans to start operations in the second quarter of 2024.
Marion County Commissioners recently announced a grant from the Florida Growth and Job Fund of $4,746,307 to complete the final phase of the infrastructure improvements to Florida Crossroads Commerce Park, an industrial park that will target the food manufacturing and distribution, consumer product distribution, e-commerce and aviation and aerospace manufacturing industries.
The CEP’s monthly breakfast is held the third Wednesday of each month. Starting in January the gatherings will be held at the Reilly Arts Center in Ocala.