How does law enforcement dispose of seized fentanyl? A WRAL viewer asked so we found the answer

Thousands of North Carolinians die every year from overdoses. More than 300 families this year are already mourning the loss of loved ones due to the crisis. People in every county in the state and every corner of the country have been affected by it.

Eight people a day die from overdoses in the state.

Homeland Security Investigations saw a 15,000% increase in the amount of fentanyl in the Carolinas last year than in 2020.

We’ve reported extensively on the fentanyl and opioid crisis. Following our ongoing coverage, WRAL Data Trackers received an email from someone who asked what happens to all of that fentanyl. We took the question to Homeland Security Investigations. A spokesperson for the agency told us they "burn the fentanyl in the incinerator along with other drugs and evidence."

When we spoke with the federal agency, they noted that as the amount seized increased, so did the number of people who died so it’s unknown just how much fentanyl is circulating around the state.

In January, there were nearly 800 emergency department visits linked to opioid overdoses. Provisional state data shows about one in every five were linked to fentanyl.