The dangerous drug has been linked to 180 deaths in the UK and is sold on an app popular with teenagers.
Nitazene is a drug 100 times more powerful than heroin made by mixing other street drugs including heroin.
The drug is sold online as pills that look like ecstasy tablets and police warn it could kill hundreds more at festivals and parties this summer if people aren’t careful.
It can be sent in a post to a user from a list in the Telegram application, reports The Mirror.
A listing says: ‘I can provide nitazenes for a cheap price. We can also provide samples, as long as shipping is paid.’
It is difficult for law enforcement to infiltrate the app because of end-to-end encryption.
The drug has also been linked to 47 deaths in Scotland according to the National Crime Agency – a country that already has the highest number of drug-related deaths in Europe.
A former drug addict in Edinburgh who has survived nine overdoses says his drug use is increasing.
The 32-year-old, who asked to be called Leanne, became addicted to heroin, valium and crack cocaine, after she started using drugs from the age of 12.
He told the BBC: ‘The addiction is so strong, you will do anything to get the drug, whether it has nitazene or not.
‘It’s like Russian roulette. You just have to take the medicine and you’re done.’
He has been clean for two years and volunteers with a charity called Aid and Abet which helps drug users.
Elsewhere in England, Wiltshire Police have also confirmed that they are aware of nitazenes.
Police forces issued a warning after a man in his 40s was found dead on Sunday in Swindon town centre.
There have also been three other suspected drug-related deaths in the area of ​​adults in similar circumstances since early May.
All four are believed to have consumed what is believed to be heroin before suffering a medical episode.
A spokesman for the force said: ‘Since the beginning of May, police and health professionals in Swindon have been alerted to a number of incidents where drug users have become seriously ill after taking substances including heroin and cocaine, requiring medical attention.
‘Although the incident was not linked to the presence of nitazenes, Wiltshire Police and health partners are urging people who use these drugs to be more careful and to alert family members and friends who may be exposed to the dangers of synthetic opioids . ‘
Deputy Superintendent Conway Duncan added: ‘We are in contact with our colleagues in Public Health about the situation and we are very keen to protect people from harm where possible.
“Of course we would never advocate for anyone to take illegal substances, but we know that there are people who are addicted and it is important that we are warned about the drugs that seem to be running rampant in Swindon.
‘If you are a drug user in the Swindon area, we encourage users not to self-use and carry the opioid reversal drug naloxone and be aware of the potentially fatal consequences.’
Nitazenes were first developed in the 1950s as pain relievers but were not approved because they were strong and addictive.
People then mix it with heroin and other drugs because they are cheap.
Contact the news team by emailing webnews@metro.co.uk.
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