St. Clair County sheriff warns of new drug in the area called 'Crocodil'

The St. Clair County Sheriff's Office is issuing a warning about a new drug found in the area that damages peoples' skin.

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Sheriff Mat King said the drug task force has its first seizure of Desomorphine, better known on the street as "Krokodil" or "Crocodil" last week.

The drug is a powerful, synthetically-engineered opioid-like substance that's about 10 times more powerful than morphine.

Officials say it gets its name because skin of long-term abusers may begin looking greenish and scaly due to damaged blood vessels, thrombosis and damaged soft tissues surrounding injection sites.

That makes it similar to a crocodile's scaled and rugged skin.

“The Drug Task Force adapts with the everchanging climate of drugs within the community, and this is no exception. Members are constantly educating themselves on new drug trends and are committed to educating the community to keep citizens safe. They are doing everything they can do eliminate all sources of Desomorphine, just as in all other illegal controlled substances,” King said in a statement.

The sheriff said that when found on the street, the drug is often sold to users instead of heroin due to its cheap cost and powerful potency.