Dangerous drugs warning after fourth death in Swindon in a month
Police are investigating whether street drugs are being mixed with synthetic opioids
The death of a man in Swindon's led to the issuing of a dangerous drugs warning by Wiltshire Police.
They say the victim - in his 40s who was found at an address at The Parade in the town early on Sunday - is the fourth heroin user to die there in just over a month.
Several people who'd taken what they believed to have been cocaine have also fallen ill.
Officers are looking into whether the drugs have been mixed with Nitazenes - a new group of synthetic opioids which carry a substantial risk of overdose, hospitalisation and death.
Duty Superintendent Conway Duncan said: "We are in close contact with our colleagues in Public Health in relation to these circumstances and we are keen to ensure we protect people from harm where possible.
"Of course we would never advocate anyone taking illegal substances, however, we understand there are people with addictions and it is important that they are warned about the batch of drugs which appears to be circulating in Swindon.
"If you are a drug user in the Swindon area, we encourage users not to use alone and to carry the opioid reversal drug naloxone and be aware of the potentially fatal consequences ."