HSE issues Cork warning over drug 8 times stronger than heroin
A warning has been issued in Cork over a potentially deadly drug that could be circulating in the area.
The public health warning came after tests on a powder recovered by gardaí investigating the suspected drug-related death of a teenager confirmed the drug U-47700, which is known on the streets as pinky, pink, or U4.
It may be in circulation in the city in white powder form and resembles cocaine.
The super-strong synthetic drug has been linked to up to 90 deaths in the US in the last nine months, including two 13-year-olds in Utah, as well as deaths in Europe.
The HSE has issued a warning about the substance, which looks like cocaine and is nearly eight times stronger than heroin.
It was added to the list of schedule 1 drugs in the US last November, but can still be bought easily online from underground or street labs, many of which are in China.
It comes as toxicology tests continue to determine whether drugs played a role in the death of a 16-year-old boy in Cork this week.
An autopsy was conducted yesterday on the body of Michael Cornacchia, 16, following his death on the southside of Cork on Monday but gardaí said it will be some time before the results of toxicology tests can confirm cause of death.
