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Gardaí fear further deaths as super-strong synthetic drug spreads

Gardaí are alarmed at the threat from a super-strong synthetic drug after seizing its first large haul of the substance and after uncovering its spread from the heroin to cocaine market.

Detectives fear that further deaths from fentanyl will be confirmed in the coming weeks, adding to the five people who died between April and July — the first such deaths in the country.

Officers are particularly concerned at two recent developments:

Three men were taken into intensive care a fortnight ago after they snorted what they thought was cocaine at a christening party in south-west Dublin and narrowly avoided death;