Miami-Dade Police is the latest South Florida agency that's warning the community about the growing danger of "candy-like" synthetic drugs including flakka.
Department officials released a community safety alert Wednesday and were expected to hold a news conference Thursday.
Police in recent months have detected candy-like products containing the synthetic drug Ethylone, a controlled substance similar to Alpha-PVP, also known as flakka.
The drugs are produced in the style of children's candy and is packaged similarly, police said.
The Broward Sheriff's Office has been warning residents about flakka for months, calling it "the $5 insanity drug." Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue has called it an increasing problem in the city.
Officials say flakka, also known as gravel, is a more potent form of bath salts that is highly addictive and can be deadly if taken in high doses. The drug has been tied to a number of recent bizarre incidents in South Florida and the rest of the state.
