Sydney man charged after allegedly supplying deadly new opioid which can be 28 times stronger than fentanyl
NSW Police have charged a Sydney man with drug supply and proceeds of crime offences, after he allegedly supplied vape liquid laced with nitazenes, a class of synthetic opioid which is often manufactured in China and cut into other substances.
A police statement claimed that their inquiries uncovered evidence that the man was running a 'sophisticated' distribution model to supply the illicit drug.
Detectives under Strike Force Southminster, established to investigate the supply of nitazenes across Sydney, searched a home in south-west Sydney about 12.10pm on August 1, police said in a statement.
They allegedly seized vials containing nitazenes, electronics and vape hardware, as well as a safe, $7180 in cash, two imitation firearms and a Taser. On Monday, police reportedly also opened the safe to find a further 1.8 kilograms of nitazenes, bringing the total amount allegedly seized during their operations to 2.1 kilograms.
The accused was arrested at Liverpool Police Station, where he was charged with supplying a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug and knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime. A NSW Police statement said it will allege he was involved in the sale, preparation and distribution of the vials – which were reportedly marketed as 'supercharged' – for profit.
Health experts and law enforcement have repeatedly warned about the infiltration of nitazenes into Australia's drug supply, saying they pose a greater threat than the synthetic opioid fentanyl, which has led to more than 100,000 deaths in the US but does not yet have a strong presence in Australia.
Intelligence collected by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) suggests nitazenes are being produced by pharmaceutical companies in China, where their production is banned, before being shipped directly to Australia or via intermediary countries, including the US and the UK.
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