Overdose Deaths Increase in Grant County in 2024

Grant County's Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team (INET) releases it's annual report for 2024.

The INET report says Grant County saw 34 overdose deaths in 2024. INET says 14 of those deaths came from Fentanyl, while 13 came from Methamphetamine and seven came from a combination of alcohol, cocaine, benzo's and other opioids.

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INET investigated 13 of those overdose deaths compared to eight overdose death investigations in 2023 - a 62.5 percent increase. INET increased its success rate in charging the cases by five percent with four cases leading to charges of the 13 (30.7 percent).

Overdose calls decreased in 2024 with 163 compared to 172 in 2023.

INET teamed up with Moses Lake Street Crimes Unit, the LEAD narcotics task force and Washington State Patrol CERT members to work two concerts at the Gorge in 2024 - Beyond Wonderland and Bass Canyon. The team made 32 arrests and filed more than 40 felony charges, seizing mushrooms, ecstasy, LSD, cocaine, and marijuana.

INET investigated two marijuana grows from 2023 again in 2024 and dismantled the grows arresting eight subjects. They seized more than 400 pounds of processed and packaged marijuana and a firearm.

Overall, the department seized almost four times more fentantyl, nearly four and a half times more methamphetamine, with 74.85 ounces of heroin seized compared to none seized in 2023.

INET seized about half as much cocaine as they did in the prior year, and significantly less LSD with just 3.3 ounces compared to nearly 16 ounces in 2023. Ketamine and DMT seizures increased from their modest numbers in 2023. INET seized $151,035 in cash, five guns, 15 cars, over $7.3 million in cannabis plants and took over 3,000 pounds of processed cannabis.

In its summary, INET calls for additional detectives to combat narcotics trafficking in Grant and Adams counties, citing just four detectives to cover the two counties.

You can view the full report here.