Urgent alert issued after fatal drug found in Irish prison

The Irish Prison Service said that a nitazene type substance had been found in an unnamed prison.

A fatal drug has been located in an Irish prison - leading to an urgent alert.

The Irish Prison Service said that a nitazene type substance had been found in an unnamed prison.

It is, they say, associated with a number of overdoses in the system, at least one of which was fatal.

The service said it is working closely with the HSE to respond to the detection of nitazene.

A statement said: "Healthcare teams have adequate stocks of naloxone should clinical intervention be required. 

"Extra vigilance is being taken across the prison estate and the Irish Prison Service has commenced an information campaign for prisoners around the dangers of consuming non prescribed illegal drugs."

The substance is considered more lethal than the synthetic drug fentanyl, which has caused thousands of deaths in the US.

Nitazenes have been detected in Britain, US, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, Belgium and Canada, according to the UN.

In Ireland, nitazenes were responsible for 77 overdoses in Dublin and Cork late last year.