BEAUMONT, Texas — Drug Enforcement Administration agents are warning that drug dealers and teenagers could be using emojis to stay under law enforcement and parents radar.
It is a drug slang with a new twist.
The DEA has released an emoji drug code. The symbols on the list look ordinary and harmless, but each have a hidden meaning. Agents want parents to know what to look out for.
"They'll use emoji codes to avoid law enforcement detection and that's the primary reason why they are using it,” Jason Wheeler, resident agent in charge of the Beaumont DEA Office, said. “Instead of just coming out saying, 'I want to buy cocaine,' they'll use these codes.”
Agents said some emojis, like the pill symbol, are pretty obvious. However, others are trickier. The key emoji could stand for cocaine, and the brown heart emoji could translate to heroin.
“For example, Percocet, you'll get the parking sign of emoji with a ‘P’ that basically means the seller has that available,” Wheeler said. “Then you come down here to the meth. You got the crystal, the crystal ball. Each of these emojis means something different but for the most part, you know who's selling whose and who's wanting to purchase the drug."
The use of emojis alone are not a for sure indication of drug use, but when coupled with other signs, it should raise some questions.
Parents are encouraged to watch for signs including a sudden change in behavior, mood swings or a sudden influx in cash.
“For parents, to make sure they're monitoring their kids social media activity, and it's okay to ask, you know, especially the kids, who they're talking to, who they're texting,” Wheeler said. "It's okay to upset your kid, because that one time could save your child's life from an overdose."
Wheeler said dealers use the emojis to stay under law enforcement radar. Agents hope that by getting the word out, they can stay on top of any emerging trends.
Health officials said recovery centers in Beaumont have seen the negative side effects drugs usage has on teenagers, especially since drugs have become more accessible.
“We've got more adolescents coming in. We have adolescents getting in trouble at school,” Kim Arrington, Woodlands Recover Centers CEO and clinical director, said. “You don't have to go to the wrong part of town, into dangerous situations to score drugs anymore.”
It is dangerous for a person to take pills not prescribed to them. It becomes even more dangerous when a person does not know what a pill is laced with.
Health officials said all it takes is one wrong pill for a situation to become fatal.
"Those pills contain fentanyl,” Wheeler said. “Two milligrams of fentanyl is a lethal dose, which is equivalent to just a few salt gradients. One pill can kill, and we're seeing it. We're seeing it all ages."
Agents said the bottom line is drugs are now much more accessible to teen.
DEA agents are encouraging anyone who has tips or suspects any illegal drug production or activity to go to the tip line on their website.
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