Chinese-made Drug Enters Australia: Causing at Least 20 Deaths!

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Chinese-made Drug Enters Australia: Causing at Least 20 Deaths!

Chinese-made Drug Enters Australia: Causing at Least 20 Deaths!

According to Australian media reports, a painkiller that is 1,000 times stronger than morphine has entered the Australian black market from Chinese factories, leading to at least 20 deaths and multiple cases of drug overdose.

The painkiller, known as nitazenes, is a highly potent opioid. Opioids are a class of pain-relieving drugs that act on brain cells. While they can relieve pain at low doses, excessive use can cause respiratory problems, leading to death. These drugs can also produce feelings of euphoria or excitement, making them highly addictive.

Chinese-made Drug Enters Australia: Causing at Least 20 Deaths!

Nitazenes were initially developed in the 1950s by a Swiss pharmaceutical company as a painkiller. However, due to their extreme potency, they were never marketed. In recent years, nitazenes have begun to appear on the illegal drug market in Australia.

Because nitazenes are cheap, highly addictive, and enhance the effects of other drugs, some dealers mix them into various drugs to make more money. Nitazenes have been found in substances ranging from ecstasy to cocaine and even in illegal painkillers and some e-cigarettes in Australia.

Caitlin Dooley, a staff member of Australia’s harm reduction program “DanceWize,” first encountered nitazenes when her team received reports of drug overdoses at a party in Sydney. At the party, Dooley discovered small pills marked with the “Red Bull” logo being sold as ecstasy, but containing the deadly nitazenes.

That night, many people at the party were injected with naloxone, an opioid reversal drug. Dooley noted that without timely treatment, these individuals would have collapsed and potentially not survived.

To date, Australia has reported 20 deaths related to nitazenes and dozens of overdose cases. Three years ago, 21-year-old Dylan died after consuming drugs laced with nitazenes. His mother, Claire Rocha, recalled, “I went upstairs and found him lying motionless on his bed. By the time the paramedics arrived, it was too late; he was gone.”

Australian health authorities have issued multiple warnings about nitazenes. In November of last year, the New South Wales Health Department identified a death linked to nitazenes found in black market e-cigarette oil.

The harm reduction program “DanceWize” discovered that many of the nitazenes entering Australia are manufactured in Chinese chemical factories and are easily available online. One website claims to supply nitazenes at $7,000 per kilogram, with delivery available.

Rocha stated that the drug her son consumed was delivered to their mailbox. “Nowadays, you can buy these things through TikTok,” she said. “It’s very simple; they will mail it to you.” “It’s very easy to obtain, and it’s truly terrifying.”

Many people may not even know that the drugs they purchase contain nitazenes or understand the potential deadly risks. The only way to prevent such tragedies is to stay away from all drugs and not try them out of curiosity!