VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Overdoses are now the leading cause of death in Volusia County.

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The information came from a report that the medical examiner’s office will present next week, but Channel 9 got an early look at it Wednesday afternoon.

The presentation shows overdose that deaths were up 15% in 2021 from the year prior. The majority of those overdoses and overdose deaths happened in Daytona Beach.

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Getting fentanyl off the streets has been an ongoing battle for Sheriff Mike Chitwood. He said the drug is flooding in across the U.S.-Mexico border and even being ordered online.

The sheriff’s office has partnered with other local and federal agencies to get a handle on it by doubling the number of search warrants executed since last year.

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“Our men and women in narcotics are just slaying it, but the problem is there are so many people out there. It’s such a bigger conglomerate of people that are operating,” he said.

The number of overdose deaths increased from 305 in 2020, to 331 in 2021, to 164 so far this year.

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VIDEO: Volusia County Beach Safety considering using drones for search and rescue Volusia County Beach Safety officials say they’re considering adding drones to the tools they use to help keep beachgoers safe. (Mike Springer, WFTV.com/WFTV)

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