Nash authorities confront spike in heroin deaths

"Last year, I think we had like seven deaths that were reported just in our little area right here, and this year, we have already moved well beyond that," Stone said.

A drug bust last summer alerted authorities to the rapidly growing drug problem in the county, and the sheriff is trying to establish a task force of local and state officers to address it.

"I've seen it in Saran Wrap, I've seen it in aluminum foil, but it predominately comes in this form right here," an undercover investigator said, pointing to a "bindle," which is heroin mixed with something else.

"Baby laxative, brown sugar, it can be cut and diluted into anything," he said of heroin.

Stone said heroin is attractive because it's cheap, and it's flooding into Nash County via highways, trains and even the mail. He said it appears much of the drug is coming from New Jersey.

"It's a nasty drug," he said.

Daniel Moss, owner of Cornerstone Funeral Home & Cremations in Nashville, said too many families have had to mourn the unexpected death of young people in the past few months.

"We're talking between the ages of 16 and 30, and the majority are teenagers," Moss said. "When you start getting numerous amounts of bodies in a short period of time , there are obviously issues that need to be addressed."

"What we need is stiff penalties so that a drug dealer that is deteriorating our community and killing our kids and our family members, that they're sent to prison for a long time," Stone said.