DOVER - Members of a new countywide drug task force say the amount of heroin they are seeing on the streets is surprising, even to experienced law enforcement officials.

"The volume of heroin we are seeing is at the level of marijuana we dealt with 15 years ago," Sgt. Brandon Drysdale, the task force's commander, recently reported to the Chiefs of Police of Strafford County. Drysdale said Monday that when he started as a police officer in Somersworth 17 years ago, marijuana was the most commonly seen drug for law enforcement officials. Today, heroin, which is cheaper and easy to obtain, has become the drug of choice for many area residents.

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