Safety warning after ‘next wave of opioid crisis’ hits the UK

A synthetic opioid 100 times stronger than heroin could already be being sold by dealers across the UK, the National Crime Agency (NCA) has warned. Fentanyl, a form of morphine prescribed for severe pain relief, has already been linked to four deaths in the North East this month. Just tiny amounts of the substance mixed with a batch of heroin can be potentially fatal, and the small quantities make controlling a dose almost impossible. An even more powerful form of the drug known as carfentanyl – which is strong enough to tranquilise elephants – has also been detected. After a joint raid with West Yorkshire Police targeted a laboratory on Monday (April 24), the NCA believes the drug may now have spread to other parts of the country. Experts believe fentanyl first spread to the UK from the US, where it was described by the Department of Health as “the next wave of the opioid crisis”. Between 2013 and 2014, the number of drug products seized by US law enforcement containing fentanyl rose 426 per cent to 5,343, and fatal synthetic opioid overdoses increased by 79 per cent. The drug has also been linked to the death of pop star Prince in 2016. Just 0.002g of fentanyl in 0.1g of heroin can cause a lethal overdose, and carfentanyl can kill with just 0.00002g. Until recently no deaths had been recorded in the UK, but traces of fentanyl were discovered in two bodies in West Yorkshire on April 15. Another four people are believed to have overdosed on fentanyl in Barnsley the previous day, and other suspected cases have been reported in Cleveland and Humberside. Tony Saggers, NCA Head of Drugs Threat and Intelligence, said: “We have taken the unusual step of appealing to people to be vigilant. First, because whilst initial toxicology revealed fentanyl analogues in a small number of these deaths, specific re-testing has started to indicate that the influence of fentanyl is greater than first suspected. “Second, the NCA’s operation with West Yorkshire Police to locate and disrupt an illicit drugs laboratory during the last 72 hours has indicated that it may be a source for the production of fentanyl and other analogues. “In particular we now believe UK customers beyond the north east region are likely to have received consignments of these drugs.” Roseanna O’Connor, Director of Drugs, Alcohol and Tobacco at Public Health England, said: “We are urging heroin users to be extra careful about what they are taking. “They need to look out for each other and be alert to any signs of an overdose, such as lack of consciousness, shallow or no breathing, ‘snoring’, and blueing of the lips and fingertips. “If possible, they should use naloxone if someone overdoses and immediately call for an ambulance. We strongly advise all dependent drug users to get support from local drug services.”