By Associated Press - Monday, September 4, 2017

GLOUCESTER, Mass. (AP) - Police are working to identify the source of the drugs that led to five overdoses, one fatal, in one day in a Massachusetts city.

Gloucester Police Chief John McCarthy says it appears that a “strong source of drugs” came into the city sometime Friday. Officers suspect it could involve synthetic opioid fentanyl.

Authorities said Sunday one woman died after suffering an apparent overdose at Addison Gilbert Hospital, where she had accompanied another person who was being treated.

The city has become known for its police department’s ANGEL program, which encourages addicts to turn in their drugs to police without fear of arrest in order to get fast-tracked for treatment.

McCarthy told the Associated Press in July that the city is seeing more fatal overdoses than when the program began in June 2015.

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