Nitazene seizures in Brompton sparks new SA Police and SA Health warning, with seven known fatal overdoses
Synthetic drugs up to 2000 times more potent than morphine and believed responsible for the overdose deaths of seven people have been seized in Adelaide, sparking an urgent warning.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Quantities of a highly potent drug have been seized from a Brompton home sparking an urgent plea to avoid the deadly substance, following the deaths of seven people.
So concerned are police and SA Health about the rise in nitazene detections across the state, the agencies have directly appealed to potential users to have an antidote on hand instead of risking their lives.
The seized nitazenes, which are a synthetic opioid, have returned test results found to be 100 to 2000 times more potent than morphine.
One of the seized nitazenes was 25 times more potent than fentanyl.
Nitazenes have been linked to seven fatal overdoses since January 2022, while 13 people nearly overdosed in the same period.
The drugs was also linked to at least 10 emergency department presentations between July last year to January this year.
Police on Thursday, July 18, raided a Brompton home and seized 198g of nitazenes, 200 Xanax tablets, 98 Suboxone strips, and Valium, diazepam and oxycodone tablets.
A 47-year-old man and 45-year-old woman, both of Brompton, were charged with three counts of drug trafficking.
Serious and Organised Crime Branch Superintendent Shane Addison said nitazenes were being identified and seized at increasing rates across Australia, putting users at “increasing risk of harm from these very toxic drugs”.
“Intelligence identified suspicious activity associated with the Brompton address which resulted in the search following a thorough investigation,” he said.
Packaging and postal stationery items suggested to police the Brompton pair were selling the drugs via the post.
Police suspect the drug is imported from China and was not being manufactured in Australia.
Nitazenes, which are a synthetic opioid, earlier this month triggered a public health alert after an overdose in Adelaide.
The Brompton bust and arrest was separate to the health alert, Superintendent Addison said.
Nitazenes are known to be added to other highly potent drugs including methamphetamine and GHB, which are known to be accessible on South Australian streets.
But the undisclosed addition to such drugs put users at increased risk of death because of their potency.
Drug and Alcohol Services South Australia statewide clinical director Dr Victoria Cock warned nitazenes were highly toxic in small doses, often hidden in oxycodone, methamphetamine, heroin and GHB.
“We stress that even small exposures to nitazenes could cause overdose and death,” she said.
“People who use drugs are not always aware these drugs are present in the substance they are consuming.
“It is important to be cautious, especially if obtaining from a new source or if a product looks different.”
Unmasked: St Peter’s Girls’ coach accused of exploitation offending
UPDATED: The elite private school coach charged with child abuse material offending can be identified – as can be his former links to a top AFL club.
Man accused of sexually abusing child fronts court
A southern suburbs man was allegedly in an unlawful relationship with a child – sexually abusing them over a nine-month period, court documents allege.