9 Investigates: Eyewitness News Takes You Inside The Black Tar Heroin Trade

CHARLOTTE, N.C.,None — Black tar heroin use is on the rise in Charlotte, Drug Enforcement Administration agents said.

"We come across more and more people that have gone to local high schools [or] are in local high schools, that are in the south part of Charlotte that are involved in buying heroin from these Mexican trafficking cells," John Emerson, a special agent with Charlotte's DEA, said.

VIDEO: 9 Investigates: Eyewitness News Takes You Inside The Black Tar Heroin Trade

VIDEO 9 Investigates: Eyewitness News Takes You Inside The Black Tar Heroin Trade, Part 2

Emerson said he and other local agents are cracking down on those trafficking cells, hoping to quell the use of an especially unsafe drug.

"Heroin is one of the most dangerous drugs you can get involved in," Emerson said.

It's not an easy issue to tackle, but Emerson said every victory counts.

"Every time we take over a cell, we cut off the supply, to some degree, of black tar heroin in the area," he said.

Channel 9's Natalie Pasquarella rode along with undercover agents during a drug bust. She rode with officers to the spot where an undercover officer met with a dealer to buy heroin.

"The car pulled up and they made eye contact and they dropped down into one of the neighborhoods to do the deal," Emerson said.

Then, seconds later, the suspect was arrested at the intersection of Fairview and Carmel roads. Agents pointed out what they said was black tar heroin inside of the suspect's car. They said they think the suspect tried to swallow the drugs.

Emerson said heroin has become more of a "middle- to upper-class" drug, adding that he's seeing more young users, some just 16 or 17 years old.

"This is in south Charlotte, and we're in the Carmel neighborhood area," Emerson said.

Officers said they also found cash and cell phones in the suspect's car, and that it all came from one place that they called the "stash house."

DEA agents said two men living in a home off Freedom Drive were heading up a black tar heroin cell.

"Here we have the balloons that they're using to pack it in; some balloons already made up with heroin inside," Emerson said, pointing out items inside of the home.

Emerson said people in the home dispatch dealers, who sell on the streets.

Operations like the one Channel 9 caught on camera help the DEA reach its ultimate goal, agents said.

"All these cells are connected one way or the other to other states in the United States and into Mexico, so our whole goal is to take down the organization from the top level trafficker in Mexico to the user here in Charlotte," Emerson said.

WSOC