Child safety advocates warn about drug dealers targeting children on social media

There’s a disturbing trend of drug dealers turning to social media to find new clients, especially young ones, that they can hook at an early age.Child safety advocates tell ABC15 these criminals are using apps like Snapchat, TikTok, Kik, and Instagram to build bonds with teenagers.”It’s, unfortunately, all way too easy,” said Detective Scott Pietrzak who is part of the Mesa Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and owner of Online Safety Specialists, a business he founded to educate parents about dangerous predators targeting children online.With a few taps on their smartphones, Pietrzak said these drug deals could be taking place right under your roof, and right under your nose.”What these guys are doing is basically becoming friends with all these kids out there,” said Pietrzak.”Once they become friends with them, it’s easy for them to advertise what they’re selling. Whether it be, you know, marijuana or fentanyl, cocaine, LSD, heroin,” added Pietrzak.The drugs could be delivered to your front door, or hand-delivered to teens at local parks. What has child safety advocates so concerned about these shady deals are how dangerous these street drugs could be.”These kiddos are not even realizing what they’re taking is Fentanyl,” said…
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