Jim Leach began his law enforcement career in 1975, and he shares his insights as a multimedia analyst and consultant for Golden Media Group in matters relating to Criminal Justice. Mr. Leach was honored to serve as 1st Vice President of the Tennessee Narcotics Officers Association.
When I started out in the business, we were looking for pot, cocaine, heroin, and LSD. Then some folks discovered new ways to use all kinds of prescription drugs. I was Director of the THP CID when crack cocaine hit the scene. We had a very active narcotics unit, and our undercover people were reporting that it was common for an increase in violence to show up along with crack sales.
While attending a two-week drug seminar at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in 1994, I listened to warnings from instructors that methamphetamine was headed our way.
What a prediction that turned out to be!
Fentanyl had me confused for a while. I couldn’t understand why a dealer would sell a good client something that enjoyed a great reputation for killing the purchaser! I was told that the closer the drug brought the user to death, the better the user liked it. Now, why didn’t I think of that?
If I missed anybody’s favorite drug, please forgive me. There’s been a bunch of them. According to WATE, TV 6, in Knoxville, the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education (KCRFC) reports that cychlorphine (N-Propiontrile), a synthetic opioid, belonging to a group known as “orphine analogues” or “orphines”, seems to have been involved in 16 deaths in East Tennessee between October 2024 and February 2026.
The center reported usage in several states, including New York and California. TV 6 quotes the chief administrative officer and director of KCRFC as saying the drug is spreading fast, and authorities are not sure if it’s a single batch or if it is the new drug of the future.
Experts say cychlorphine is approximately 10 times more powerful than Fentanyl and has never been approved for medical uses. The deadly substance can easily be combined with other commonly used drugs such as Fentanyl and methamphetamine. Narcan (Naloxone), which normally acts as a treatment for opioid overdose, does not completely block the effects of this synthetic opioid. It may take multiple doses of Narcan to prevent an overdose of cychlorphine.
It appears the new drug originated in 2024 in China, then moved to Europe and the United States. East Tennessee is leading our country in confirmed cychlorphine related deaths. I’m afraid the single batch hypothesis is overly optimistic.
Authorities around the world continue to make huge drug and money seizures. Those making huge amounts of money keep changing their methods and tactics to keep making money.
Instead of “mules” and tractor/trailers, we see narco-subs and drones.
As we have said before, the way to a long-range solution to the illegal drug business is to take away the profit. The only sure way to do that is to stop the demand for the drugs.
We must talk to our young ones. Please.
