FBI bust exposes heroin 'subculture'

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Thursday’s heroin bust at Jovita’s cracked a subculture of drug use that flies under the radar when compared to other types of drugs.

Heroin has recently made a comeback in parts of the country, but it has always been around in Austin, according to Angela Vickrey.

“There have always be heroin users in this area,” said Vickrey, who is a director at Austin Recovery, a treatment center where drug users get help kicking their addictions.

According to Vickrey, about 35 percent of Austin Recovery’s clients are recovering from heroin use and are usually in their mid-twenties.

However, heroin use might be harder to spot on the surface.

“That community and culture is a lot closer knit than cocaine or amphetamines,” said Vickrey, “They know each other, hang out with each other, share needles.”

The bust on Thursday and the 18 people arrested tells Vickrey there are plenty of people looking for the drug.

“That many people tells me they have a pretty good market,” she said, although she is not sure whether the heroin is being bought exclusively on a local level.

The FBI estimated that the ring would sell anywhere from $3,000 to $6,000 a day.

Austin Recovery believes the bust will decrease the supply of heroin in Austin and could result in more people coming through the door.

“I’m expecting we will have an influx of people needing detox," Vickrey said.