Three month operation nets big K2 bust

The Ausitn Police Department and Travis County Emergency Services hope the latest K2 bust will slow down the number of calls related to the synthetic drug that have been plaguing downtown Austin's homeless community.

36 people are now being charged with using and dealing K2 or synthetic drugs. The latest round up of dealers comes after APD's Organized Crime Division spent three months working undercover in and around the downtown area to identify dealers.

Five people were already in jail on another charge. 10 were arrested. 

APD is still looking for 21 others who were charged.

Officials say the K2 problems started to explode around the Arch in 2014 and because suppliers keep changing the ingredients it's hard to get a handle on it.

Austin Travis County EMS says it responded to nearly 145 K2 calls a month in 2016 and a least one person died.

First responders are calling K2 a public safety and health issue. They're even going so far as labeling it an epidemic.