In the past three months, Newport police made 13 heroin-sales arrests, 19 heroin-possession arrests, and 18 arrests for possession of narcotic prescription pills, according to the department.
Those arrested ranged in age from 17 years old to early 20s, a "concerning aspect," said the department in a news release.
Detectives have determined young people are being introduced to heroin at high-school parties, according to police.
Newport police advised family and friends to be on alert for clues to heroin involvement, including drug paraphernalia such as burned aluminum foil, burned pen tubes or straws, hypodermic syringes, burned spoons, and torn plastic with brown tarlike residue on them.
Newport police believe most of the heroin in the area is black-tar heroin smuggled from Latin America.
