Pubdate: Wed, 15 Oct 2003 Source: Royal Gazette, The (Bermuda) Section: Opinion Copyright: 2003 The Royal Gazette Ltd. Contact: http://www.theroyalgazette.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2103 Author: Dan Rutstein Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin) POLICE WARN: BEWARE OF 'DIRTY' HEROIN A batch of dirty heroin may be responsible for two sudden deaths in the last week, a street source has claimed. Heroin containing rat poison is understood to be circulating on the Island and Police admitted they have received reports that drugs containing a substance which could have "deadly consequences" are being distributed. Drugs are thought to be involved in the deaths of a 33-year-old woman, who was found in a Devonshire apartment on Monday, and a 42-year-old man who collapsed last Tuesday on Front Street and died in hospital two days later. At this stage Police will not confirm or deny that drugs were involved in either case and they refuse to rule out foul play. The Royal Gazette understands, however, that there is clear evidence that both deceased were drug users and that traces of heroin were found in the system of Lowis Burcher, who was found at the junction of Front Street and King Street between 2.30 a.m. and 2.40 a.m. last Tuesday. Mr. Burcher, of Rose Hill, Southampton, had been out celebrating his birthday in a number of bars around Hamilton when he slumped to the ground. He was rushed to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital where he died. It is understood he had taken a 'hit' as part of his birthday blow-out. Police have yet to reveal the results of Monday's autopsy. Tasha Dillis, from Southampton, was found in a Roberts Avenue apartment at 8.55 p.m. on Monday. She was found in an unresponsive state and was later declared dead by the on-call doctor at the hospital. Meanwhile, Police have put out a statement warning that a batch of dirty heroin may be circulating locally. "Police have received unconfirmed reports of controlled drugs, believed to be heroin, are currently being distributed on the Island containing a substance which, in and of itself, is extremely harmful to health and abuse of these drugs may have deadly consequences," said spokesman Dwayne Caines. Meanwhile a former drug dealer contacted The Royal Gazette to warn of rat poison in local heroin supplies, which they claim is being used due to the shortage of the drug on the Island. "There is some bad stuff going around," said the 27-year-old former alcoholic and cannabis user who pushed heroin, crack and ecstasy on the streets before turning their life around. "There is shortage of good heroin at the moment here, so dealers are putting rat poison in instead. It keeps the colour of the stuff and means they can keep selling it. "There are some guys out there getting bigger hits than they know what to deal with. Two people are dead and you just don't know what else could happen." The source claims that users who sniff the drug have been suffering from sores and damaged nostrils as a result of using the substances. They added that other substances such as Clorox and diesel are also being used by dealers when selling 'speed-balls' - a powerful cocktail of heroin and crack that users are taking for the "ultimate hit". The National Drugs Commission was unavailable for comment last night and staff at the Turning Point Substance Abuse Centre said they had not heard any reports of dirty heroin. - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager