New synthetic opioids from China called Nitazenes – up to 5 times more potent than fentanyl – are rapidly spreading in Scotland and other parts of Europe. Scotland’s public health agency reported 312 suspected drug deaths from March to May, a 15 percent increase, with 6 percent involving Nitazenes – likely an undercount due to testing limitations. Naloxone use (an emergency antidote for opioid overdoses) rose 45 percent, and ER visits by 19 percent.
Nitazenes, appearing in the UK and Baltic markets since 2022, are lethal and are often mixed into heroin, fake pills, and recreational drugs, making them hard to detect. Chinese suppliers openly market them online, using real identities, phone numbers, and Chinese or Hong Kong business addresses. Some even ship disguised packages in dog food bags or mislabeled as other goods.
A Wall Street Journal report found 100+ sellers offering Nitazenes like etonitazene (15× stronger than fentanyl) on platforms like TradeKey (a Pakistani website), with promises to bypass customs.
According to a BBC investigation, dozens of Chinese vendors advertise on Western social platforms, ship directly from Chinese labs, and provide tracking numbers. Some claim to be legitimate companies, offering bulk discounts and even advice on illegal sales.
Experts warn the Nitazene trade is supply-driven, not demand-driven, and could cause a public health disaster if organized crime scales up distribution across Europe.
Source: Epoch Times, August 1, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/7/31/n14564771.htm