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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Drugs: Twenty NI deaths likened to 'serial killer' | Drugs: Twenty NI deaths likened to 'serial killer' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Twenty deaths have now been linked to a new unregulated drug that was introduced in Northern Ireland last year. | Twenty deaths have now been linked to a new unregulated drug that was introduced in Northern Ireland last year. |
| A coroner has likened the deaths to having a serial killer on the loose. | A coroner has likened the deaths to having a serial killer on the loose. |
| John Leckey made his comments at one of several inquests in Belfast which is looking at the drug-related deaths of six people in NI. | John Leckey made his comments at one of several inquests in Belfast which is looking at the drug-related deaths of six people in NI. |
| The drug has a number of street names including speckled cherries and speckled crosses. | The drug has a number of street names including speckled cherries and speckled crosses. |
| The inquests are examining the deaths of five men and a woman in Northern Ireland between May and September last year. | |
| They were aged between 27 and 41. | They were aged between 27 and 41. |
| The PSNI said a senior detective had been co-ordinating the investigations into drug-related deaths. | The PSNI said a senior detective had been co-ordinating the investigations into drug-related deaths. |
| Det Supt Andrea McMullan said: "The substance is para-methyl-4-methylaminorex and is not confined to one particular brand of tablet. | Det Supt Andrea McMullan said: "The substance is para-methyl-4-methylaminorex and is not confined to one particular brand of tablet. |
| "It has been identified in a number of tablets and in a number of deaths. | "It has been identified in a number of tablets and in a number of deaths. |
| "People should not lull themselves into a false sense of security by thinking if they avoid tablet X and only take tablet Y or Z they'll be OK. | |
| "The tragic reality is they will not. Anyone who takes illegal drugs runs a serious risk of causing themselves serious harm or killing themselves. There is no safe illegal drug." | "The tragic reality is they will not. Anyone who takes illegal drugs runs a serious risk of causing themselves serious harm or killing themselves. There is no safe illegal drug." |
| Police investigations into the drugs-related deaths last summer resulted in a total of 11 arrests. One person has appeared in court. | Police investigations into the drugs-related deaths last summer resulted in a total of 11 arrests. One person has appeared in court. |
| Three others were awaiting court proceedings but one has since died. | Three others were awaiting court proceedings but one has since died. |
| The inquests this week looked at six deaths: | |
| Health Minister Edwin Poots said he had been "greatly concerned" about the number of new substances appearing on "our streets" and the harm they could cause. | |
| "Over the past couple of years there has been growing concern about what have been inaccurately labelled as legal highs," he said. | |
| "They are marked 'not for human consumption' for a reason, as the sellers are trying to get around our existing drug laws and medicines regulations. | |
| "This is a reserved matter, I have written directly to the home secretary on this matter, and subsequently they have announced a review of how the UK's legislative response can be enhanced beyond the existing measures of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971." |