Ireland's drug problem: Rise of killer synthetic opioids

Lethal synthetic alternatives to heroin are posing a growing threat across Europe, with rising reports of overdoses and deaths, including in Ireland, according to the EU drugs agency.

Some 25 of these synthetic opioids have been detected since 2009, including nine last year.

One of these drugs, known as fentanyls, are the most prevalent and, as reported by the Irish Examiner last year, were behind five deaths in Dublin and Cork in 2016.