BAY COUNTY, MI -- Despite authorities locking up some of the area's alleged major heroin traffickers on federal charges, the amount of overdoses in Bay County is skyrocketing once again.

Beyond that, the recent spate of fatal overdoses is causing some officials to suspect a substance used to sedate elephants is making its way into Bay County.

In October, 13 men linked to Saginaw's Sunny Side Gang were federally indicted on 35 charges related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine. Authorities referred to the group as being "some of the major suppliers in the area," with an FBI agent commenting the feds were brought in to address the area's heroin overdoses.

And yet, even after the alleged suppliers were locked up, overdoses surged.

In October, McLaren Bay Region hospital saw five people admitted as suspected heroin/opiate overdoses, none of whom died. The following month, 11 people were admitted as overdose victims, all of whom also survived.

The steady incline continued into December. As of Thursday, Dec. 22, the hospital has admitted 13 overdose victims, one of whom died, said Magen Samyn, vice president of marketing and public relations for McLaren Bay Region. For comparison's sake, only two people were admitted for heroin-related overdoses between May and August.

Since the Bay County Health Department issued a public health advisory regarding the heroin epidemic in June 2015, overdose rates have ebbed and flowed. Throughout 2015, at least 27 people died of heroin overdoses in Bay County, compared to 18 in 2014. Health and police officials laid the blame on fentanyl, with Bay County Undersheriff Troy Cunningham adding high overdose rates tend to coincide with dealers' access to fentanyl.

In September, overdose numbers were declining, but that dip proved short-lived.

From Jan. 1 through Dec. 22, Bay County Central Dispatch has received 211 overdose calls, 72 of those happening since Sept. 9. The total number of overdose calls in 2015 was 199, according to Director Christopher Izworski.

Lee Howie, director of McLaren Bay Region EMS, said his crews responded to 21 overdoses between Dec. 1 and Dec. 20. In 12 of those instances, responders administered opiate-antagonist naloxone to those in the grips of an overdose.

"It's sailing," Howie said. "On Dec. 5, we ran five just that day. There was a big group of them together, and there's been a bunch just since the 20th."

On Dec. 21, paramedics responded to a fatal overdose in northern Bay County, Howie added.

Throughout a two-day period beginning on Nov. 1, police responded to three overdose calls at an apartment building in the 1000 block of North Grant Street on Bay City's East Side. At least two of the subjects died and the matter remains the subject of an active investigation, said Bay City Public Safety Capt. Joseph Lanava.

Sheriff's deputies have responded to three fatal heroin overdoses scattered throughout Bay County in the last two weeks, said Cunningham. Many deputies are now carrying naloxone, the sheriff's office having obtained grant funding from Recovery Pathways LLC to outfit personnel with the substance to bring overdose sufferers back from the brink of death.

While toxicology results haven't confirmed the substance's presence, Cunningham speculated carfentanil could be to blame.

"There's been carfentanil reported in Saginaw and throughout the state," he said. "We haven't specifically seen it in Bay County, but we know it's around here from the law enforcement meetings we have."

Carfentanil is a synthetic opioid 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Fentanyl itself is said to be 100 times more potent than heroin by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and can be lethal to humans at the 2-milligram range.

Carfentanil is a Schedule II drug and was created in 1974 as a general anesthetic for large animals.

On Oct. 6, the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services issued a statement saying carfentanil had contributed to 19 deaths in Wayne County since July. In all 19 cases, the substance had been combined with other substances such as heroin.

"Carfentanil is often used to tranquilize large animals and is not approved for human use because of its extreme potency," the MDHHS stated. "People and animals such as canines may absorb carfentanil, fentanyl, and other opioids via skin contact, inhalation, oral exposure, or ingestion."

Carfentanil is so hazardous, police are being advised not to field test suspected heroin when they come upon an overdose scene, Cunningham said.

"Whatever they find it in, they're to put that in an evidence bag and send it for testing," he said. "It's too dangerous for officers and the public to potentially send it airborne."

Heroin cut with fentanyl or carfentanil goes by the street names "hot packs" or "fire packs." Some users seek out the mixture; for others, they don't know their purchased heroin dose contains the more potent opioids.

Cunningham said there is another two-part problem factoring into the overdose rate. The first is the Hydra-like effect of arresting dealers, only for new dealers to pop up and fill their predecessors' void.

The second component of Cunningham's postulated two-headed problem is addicts getting clean, reducing their tolerance in the process, then relapsing.

"People are going into treatment and coming out saying, 'I used to shoot four bindles or X amount of heroin when I was using all the time,'" he said. "They buy the same amount of heroin and when they shoot it, they overdose. It's too much for their systems."

The heroin epidemic prompted the formation of the Bay County Heroin Task Force, composed of three main areas -- law enforcement/courts, treatment providers and public health/prevention. Cunningham is in charge of the law enforcement side.

In the fall of 2016, the coalition released 10 recommendations to help address the problem:

Increase collaboration within the key stakeholder partners: prevention agencies, treatment providers, law enforcement and public safety departments to share knowledge, information and intelligence. Implement a countywide heroin overdose plan to save lives of our citizens. This plan includes developing targeted treatment and preventive interventions for those at highest risk for overdose and ensuring widespread dissemination of the opioid antidote, naloxone, as well education and referral for care those at highest risk of contracting infectious diseases such as HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C through the use of injectable opiates. Increase the number of providers who are implementing screening, brief intervention and referral for treatment, so individuals receive services faster and have greater access to an addiction counselor or social worker. Increase data-driven, high-impact options for treatment. This includes universal case management and access to treatment for most vulnerable individuals in the county such as inmates and the recently incarcerated, as well as increasing availability of evidence-based treatment, such as buprenorphine. Ensure treatment on demand. This includes building upon a "24/7 Crisis Line," and proper referral and follow-up through inpatient/outpatient services. Investigate the feasibility of post-treatment rehabilitation housing as well increase participation for those who need substance abuse recovery services by increasing the number of people attending AA, NA, Peer360, SMART Recovery. As well as those attending other self-help groups for families, such as: Families Against Narcotics, Nar- Anon- Al-Anon and the integration of support groups. Increase Medical Assisted Treatment Providers. The use of medication in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies provides a whole patient approach which improved treatment outcomes. Increase utilization of the Michigan Automated Prescription System among providers. MAPS is used to identify and prevent drug diversion at the prescriber, pharmacy and patient levels. This enables a practitioner to determine if a patient is receiving controlled substances from other providers and assists in the prevention of prescription drug abuse (State of Michigan, LARA, 2016). Implement strategies to educate and inform residents, businesses, health professionals and other key stakeholders about substance addiction to help reduce fear and combat stigma. This includes launching a campaign to educate citizens that addiction is a chronic disease and to encourage individuals to seek treatment. Coordinate efforts with treatment providers and law enforcement. This includes preventing targeted drug sales to vulnerable individuals undergoing addiction treatment; working collaboratively to obtain help for people with behavioral health disorders; and increasing support for Drug Treatment Courts and other diversion programs. Additionally, educating the public regarding the use of the County Narcotics Tip Line to report suspected drug activity.

To further ensure addicts can more readily receive the help they need, the Task Force in June launched a website at www.baycountyhope.org. The site provides information on local treatment options, substance abuse prevention, and various resources.

Addicts and their families also have the option to call a 24/7 crisis line at 1-800-327-4693.