Cancer chemicals and worming tablets found in drugs in Huddersfield

May 15 2009 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

DRUG dealers are putting users at risk – by cutting drugs with deadly substances.

Chemical used to treat fishes and worms are commonly mixed with cocaine to increase the profits for the dealers.

And police have also found banned chemicals linked with cancer have been used to fool drug-users.

Now police in West Yorkshire have spoken about their concerns.

They are worried about the continued deterioration in drug purity and the fact that drug users are increasingly and unwittingly putting their health at risk.

Former Huddersfield detective Bryan Dent – now West Yorkshire Police drugs co-ordinator – has warned drug users: “What you think you are using is probably not what you are actually taking into your body – purity levels continue to fall and are a real worry.”

The trends in West Yorkshire have reflected national trends – the amount of actual drug in a deal has fallen while at the same time the mixing agent has increased.

Mr Dent added: “In order that profits can be maximised by drug dealers the drug is mixed with other commodities which then makes, say a kilo of cocaine, into 1.5 or 2 kilos.

“They have more volume of the drug to sell, making an increased profit. As a result of the organised crime groups that are involved in the importation and distribution of many Class A and B drugs they maximise their profit margins.

“But their unscrupulous activities can have dangerous implications for the end of the supply chain – the drug user.

“We know that the people mixing/cutting the imported drugs are doing so in the UK and it is the UK criminal activities which gives us cause for concern. They are treating drug users, treatment agencies and other organisations with such contempt and disregard for safety.”

Anyone in West Yorkshire who uses heroin will actually only be consuming between 35% and 38% of the drug.

The remainder of the fix will be made up of probably paracetamol or caffeine.