Thousands of online advertisements have been found to be selling nitazenes, a potent type of synthetic opioid that has been linked to over 100 deaths in the UK. The BBC England Investigations team reported that these deadly drugs have been advertised on social media platforms like SoundCloud and X (formerly Twitter).
Nitazenes are a type of synthetic opioid that was first developed in the 1950s but was quickly banned due to its high addictive potential. However, the drug has recently resurfaced in the UK, with evidence suggesting that it is being imported from China and sold online.
The BBC’s investigation found that over 3,000 listings for nitazenes were found on SoundCloud, while 700 were found on X. When suppliers were contacted, a staggering 30 out of 35 offered to post the drugs to the UK, even admitting that they were disguised in dog food and catering supplies to avoid detection.
Despite the illicit nature of their activities, many suppliers claimed to work for legitimate companies, with professional websites and business addresses in Chinese cities. The investigation also revealed that over £4.2 million in Bitcoin has been transferred into the cryptocurrency accounts of 19 of the suppliers contacted.
Since the discovery of these online advertisements, most have been removed by the respective platforms using human moderation and software. However, the incident highlights the growing problem of online drug sales and the dangers of synthetic opioids like nitazenes.
