Nitazenes, opioids stronger than fentanyl for sale on social media: “Shipped in dog food boxes from China”

Nitazenes: the new deadly drug taking over the streets

Nitazenes, synthetic opioids 40 times more powerful than fentanyl, have become the new deadly street drug, causing more than 200 deaths in Europe and the United States since 2019. These drugs, which were never marketed because of the damage they can cause to the body, have proliferated in recent years thanks to illegal online trading.

According to a recent BBC investigation, nitazenes are advertised and sold through social media platforms such as X and SoundCloud. These drugs are often concealed within other illegal substances by drug dealers in an attempt to reduce production costs, causing users to consume them unknowingly.

The European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (Emcdda) has added several synthetic opioids, including N-pyrrolidinometonitazene, to the list of new psychoactive substances under intensive surveillance. These substances, which are more powerful than heroin, have been linked to at least 101 deaths in Britain between June 2023 and February 2024.

The DEA in the United States has accused eleven Chinese companies of selling synthetic opioids, including nitasenes. In Britain, the Met Police recently shut down an illegal pill factory in West London that was producing counterfeit Xanax tablets containing nitazene. Police investigations have uncovered text messages showing that criminal groups are being encouraged by their Chinese suppliers to use nitasenes in their substances because of their low cost.

Although the sale and import of nitazenes are banned in Britain, they are not yet banned in China. However, in November 2023, the United States and China announced a partnership to crack down on the illegal trade in these dangerous drugs.

Nitazenes have become a major concern for Italy and Europe as authorities continue to combat the illegal spread of these deadly opioids on the streets. The fight against nitasenes continues as law enforcement agencies work to prevent further deaths and dismantle the networks behind the distribution of these dangerous substances.

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