POLICE ISSUE WARNING OVER FAKE ECSTASY PILLS

Fake ecstasy pills are flooding West Cumbrian streets, police have
warned.

They say there is a rising trend in drug dealers selling imitation
class A drugs.

Of particular concern is an imitation ecstasy pill known as
BZP.

It poses an increased risk of users overdosing because, being weaker
than real ecstasy, users often consume more pills to get their high.
Officers are concerned this could lead to users of real ecstasy taking
too many all at once.

DC Tony Stagg, of West Cumbria Drugs Unit, said: "We have recently
identified a new trend in West Cumbria for drug dealers selling
imitation ecstasy.

"The fake ecstasy, called Benzylpiperazine, was originally developed
as an anti-parasitic and has been used as a worming agent for
household pets and rodents.

"Although it is a stimulant when ingested, the effects are not as
strong as ecstasy and can leave the user with stomach problems.

"The tablets look almost identical to ecstasy, but the fake ones often
have the Mitsubishi logo on them.

"BZP initially has very little obvious effects, so one of the main
concerns is that users are taking a number of these tablets at once to
try and achieve a high.

"The potential is there for these users, who believe it takes a large
number of ecstasy tablets to get a high, to then buy the real drug and
take too many - which could prove lethal.

"We are working hard to target the suppliers of Class A drugs in West
Cumbria and have recently seen a number of successes in court with
offenders receiving lengthy prison sentences.

"However, it is vitally important that we continue to have the support
of the public who can be invaluable in helping to identify offenders."

Anyone who has any information regarding the supply of these drugs is
asked to contact police on 0845 3300247 or anonymously through
Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.