Heroin Bundle Found On Delaware State Park Beach

What you need to know if you find drugs on a Delaware State Park beach or any Delaware beach for that matter.

Several weeks ago a heroin bundle was found on Keybox beach in Delaware Seashore State Park. Not once, but twice, about five weeks apart. The person (a friend) who found this is not gong to be named in this article. This is for their protection. When the first bundle was found they took it home with the beach trash and treasures they found. They had no idea it was heroin, they just thought they were picking up trash. Not until posting about it on social media their friends commented that looks like drugs. They took it to the police station who comforted that is was a bundle of heroin and then proceeded to chastise them for picking it up. The reason being fentanyl is an issue. Handling any heroin with fentanyl could kill you if it gets into your bloodstream, or mucus membrane. Breathing in this powder could be an issue, or ingesting it..

The other issue was the fact they handled this “bundle” with bare hands. That can lead to instant exposure. This type of exposure hasn’t killed people, but it is a danger. The police took the heroin bundle and I assume destroyed it. They also told these folks that if they find this again to not touch it. “They were not happy I had it in my bare hand saying it could have killed me from fentanyl. I said well I am still alive, what are you going to do about this?”
The police also told them they should bury it if they find it again. I can’t get a confirmation on that statement, but we don’t need heroin buried on a state park beach.
“They told me next time if I find any to bury it which seems odd to do since a kid could find it. Also what are the odds I will find this ever again, I certainly hope I do not, and I certainly will not bury it.”

A week later my friends are walking the same beach again, Keybox. While they were on the beach, their car windows were smashed and items taken from the car. They mentioned the heroin they found the week before to the ranger that showed up. Thinking maybe that had something to do with this break in. The parks had no idea that heroin was found on that beach. They were told if they ever found any again to bury it. Trying to confirm that as well, since that seems like an odd thing to say.

Weeks went by and my friends visited the same beach, like they always do. One day they found another bundle of heroin, in the same spot they found it the first time.
Them ...”We found it again one day, a few weeks later in the same spot.”

DSF … “Did you call the rangers or police?”

Them … “No, we took it home and disposed of it. I didn’t want to be chastised again for trying to do the right thing. This time I picked it up with a tissue. I certainly didn’t want to be told to bury it either, which is what they told me to do the last time. There were people out there metal detecting, kids playing in the sand what if they find it? We took it home and disposed of it. If I bury it who am I supposed to call and tell we did that? How are they supposed to find it to properly dispose of it.”

DSF .. “That is a very good point. Thank you for looking out for other people’s safety. Next time call the police or a ranger and have them come get it. You could be charged with possession if it was found on you on your way home. The fact you found it twice in the same spot is astronomical odds.”

We find empty heroin bags all of the time that wash up like most of the trash we find. At times we find those diabetic needles as well, these also wash up. We find a needle at least every week now, we found one today. Some of our volunteers have cleaned other beaches and found multiple amounts of needles. They even bought one of the those medial waste needle disposal boxes, just for the needles they find.
Finding bundles of heroin just laying on the beach, that is a new thing. Just so you know a “bundle” of heroin is ten of those small bags of heroin, held together with a rubber band. Finding two of these in the same area of a beach, many weeks apart is highly unlikely.

Parks needs to put up some cameras in our parking lots. Seems we have an issue in our park with it being used as a drug deal drop, would be my guess. I seriously doubt people are just randomly losing bundles of heroin in the same spot at the same beach every few weeks. Also there is no way this washed up from the ocean, and wound up in the same spot weeks later. Now I have to add to my beach clean up speech, if anyone finds anything that may be drugs to let us know. So we can call the rangers or police.
If this happens to you please do the same, do not touch it, and DO NOT BURY IT! You can contact the ranger station’s emergency dispatch at  (302) 739-4580.
If they are not in the office or available call 911, or use the new DNREC Tip app