The arrest of a Turkish international heroin trafficker in Dublin is a significant indicator of the scale of the heroin trade in this country.

The purity and potency of all the main illegal drugs is increasing in Europe, posing heightened dangers to users, drug experts have warned.

A record number of new synthetic drugs are being detected in Europe — but stretched agencies are unable to keep up with the dizzying array of substances because of budget cuts.

The EU drugs agency has published a report backing the controversial provision of heroin to chronic addicts.