Following a major drug bust in Osceola County, law enforcement in the area say heroin has been making a big comeback.

The abuse of prescription drugs like hydrocodone and oxycodone have been the cause of hundreds of drug overdose deaths in Central Florida for years. Most recently, however, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office is seeing a surge in overdose deaths by narcotics, specifically heroin.

“It started back in 2011 when law enforcement took an aggressive approach to prescription drug,” said Twis Lizasuain, Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.  “We noticed drug dealers began trying to find an alternative. That alternative was heroin.”

With the crackdown on prescription drugs, officials have made it more difficult for drug users to get the highly regulated oxycodone or hydrocodone.

That’s the reason counselors at rehab facilities like Park Place in Kissimmee said they are admitting more patients with heroin addiction than any other drug.

“These were the same clients that maybe chose prescription medications in the past," said Roashan Sequeira, Park Place Behavioral Healthcare. "Now they are turning to something more accessible, and right now street heroin is more accessible.”

In 2010 the Medical Examiner’s Office reports there were 166 oxycodone overdose deaths in the greater Orlando area. That number has dropped drastically to 80 overdose deaths in 2014.

However, in that same time period heroin overdose went from 9 in 2010 to 74 in 2014.

“Heroin is very dangerous," said Lizasuain. "It’s causing a lot of deaths here, and that’s why we are aggressively working to fight the heroin resurgence at this time.”

For now, law enforcement works toward tracking the narcotics dealers and controlling the amount of heroin available. While rehab facilities, like Park Place Behavioral Healthcare, continue to treat the growing number of addicts hoping they can help reverse the deadly trend.

The possession of a controlled substance like heroin is a felony in the state of Florida. Depending on how much you are carrying, you could face anywhere from 5 to 30 years in prison.