BAD COCAINE IN AJAX

Police Warn Users Drug May Be Mixed With Household Cleaner

AJAX - Cocaine diluted with high levels of a household cleaner may have
played a part in two deaths in Ajax recently.

Durham Regional Police suspect the tainted cocaine may have played a part
in the deaths of two young men found in different parts of Ajax, spokesman
Dave Selby says, adding the deaths occurred about a month ago.

Information gathered by the police drug unit that a cleaner, such as Comet,
may have been mixed in cocaine and sold. Cocaine is regularly diluted, or
'cut', with cornstarch, sugar, talcum powder or other drugs, such as
procaine, an anesthetic, to increase the volume and profit margin.

The two deaths are still under investigation, Mr. Selby says.

In a press release, the police note the "common thread" in the two deaths
was cocaine use.

"We had to get a notice out," Mr. Selby states. "Word got around to people
there was bad stuff out there."

Given the transient nature of drug dealing, Mr. Selby says police are
concerned the problem won't be isolated to Ajax.

"Our first recommendation is don't use cocaine. If you are, be forewarned,
this stuff is going around right now," he adds.