DEATHS TRIGGER DRUG ALERT

Two drug-related deaths and three non-fatal overdoses in less than 72
hours last week prompted Victoria police to issue an advisory that a
bad batch of dope may be for sale on the city's streets.

Police said five overdoses occurred between about 9 p.m. Wednesday
night and midnight Friday. The first three of the overdoses occurred
roughly between 9 p.m. and midnight Wednesday. In each case the
victims responded well to treatment and made a full recovery.

The first fatal overdose occurred around 3 a.m. Thursday. The victim,
a woman in her 40s, was transported to hospital but did not survive.

Police were also called to a Douglas Street motel Saturday morning to
investigate a suspected overdose. The victim, a 39-year-old woman,
was found dead at the scene.

Victoria police Insp. Clark Russell said the woman likely died
sometime Friday night.

Police did not specifically identify the type of drug the victims had
taken, but said it "appears to be a bad batch of an injectable drug"
on the market.

The results of toxicology tests on the two victims won't be known for
about six weeks.

In the meantime, all police can do is issue a warning to injection
drug users and the general public.