CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio (AP) — Authorities have charged dozens ofpeople in a drug bust that focused
mainly on alleged mid-level herointraffickers in central Ohio.The charges announced Wednesdayallege drugs
were trafficked from the Columbus area, part of a trendthat sees the capital city as a new distribution
hub.Investigatorsin Circleville and Pickaway County and Ohio Attorney General MikeDeWine say that 22 people
face heroin trafficking charges, with another17 suspects charged with trafficking drugs such as crack
cocaine,painkillers or methamphetamine.DeWine says heroin dealers arefilling a gap left by previous
crackdowns on illegal prescription drugsales in Circleville, about 25 miles south of Columbus.Last month,
DeWine said the state is experiencing a heroin epidemic, with at least 11 overdose deaths a week.Copyright
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