"Fake medicines" containing synthetic opioids stronger than heroin and fentanyl have made it onto North East markets - conning unsuspecting purchasers and putting consumers at risk.  

Medicines bought from online retailers as genuine prescriptions can be packed with synthetic opioids, linked to hundreds of deaths across the country since they first hit the black market around 2019. 

In the period from August 2023 to September 2024, seven drugs from the North East were tested by emerging drug experts at WEDINOS, and found to be fake medicines filled with synthetic opioids. 

In Barnard Castle, an unsuspecting consumer bought medicine labelled as diazepam, a prescription drug used to treat anxiety, muscle spasms and seizures from a shady online store. 

But when the drugs, convincingly wrapped in blister packs like those found in a pharmacy, were tested by scientists, they were found to predominantly contain metonitazene. 

In a similar fashion, 'oxycodone' pills bought over the internet by someone in Darlington, turned out to be contaminated with isotonitazene. 

Metonitazene and isontonitazene are both part of the nitazene group - a family of super-strength synthetic opioids that will be categorised as Class A drugs under new government plans.  

Nitazenes are stronger than heroin and fentanyl, a prolific killer in the US. Records show that the influx of new synthetic opioid drugs has been linked to 278 deaths in the UK in the last year - three of which were in the North East. 

Durham MP Mary Kelly Foy said she was "hugely concerned" that fake medicines brimming with synthetic opioids had been discovered in the region. 

The National Crime Agency believes nitazenes are being produced in China and brought into the UK through the postal system and parcel operators. 

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said the development of contaminated fake medication was “particularly worrying” as “their combined effect increased the risk of overdose significantly”.

A government spokesperson said that under the Misuse of Drugs Act, those caught in the supply and production of nitrazenes could face up to life in prison while those caught in possession could face up to seven years’ jail.

On the growing  availability of nitazenes in the UK, Martin Raithelhuber an expert in illicit synthetic drugs at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), said: "We do not have indications that nitazenes are sought after by opioid users in the UK or elsewhere. Rather, they are used as adulterants, typically unknown to users. 

"Occurrence of so-called fake medicines containing nitazenes has been reported from a number of countries in Europe. This is indeed worrying as users are typically not expecting the presence of nitazenes and might mis-judge the effect of taking it.

"The co-occurrence of benzodiazepines and opioids in fake medicine samples is particularly worrying as both substance groups belong to the effect group of depressants. Their combined effect increases the risk of overdose significantly."

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Mary Kelly Foy, Labour MP for Durham City, said: "It's hugely concerning that drugs containing synthetic opioids have been discovered in the region, and is a stark warning of the dangers of buying what often appears to be legitimate medication from other sources.

"I welcome the fact that the Government intends to make all types of nitazenes Class A drugs, and Border Force is due to step up its efforts to detect these drugs entering the country.

"Prescription-only medicines should only ever be obtained by a qualified health professional, and buying medication online is not advised. It's always best to speak to a local GP before taking any medication."