Northern 'Opiate Drug' Bust Welcomed

Officials in the North have seized illegal Class A drugs with an estimated street value of £75,000.

Large quantities of the opiate drug oxycodone have been recovered by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) Medicines Regulatory Group officials in a joint operation supported by the PSNI and the United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA).

A 31-year-old Belfast man was arrested in connection with the illegal importing activity and is now the subject of a report to the Public Prosecution Service.

The Stormont Health Minister Edwin Poots said: "I put a very high value on public safety and the actions of my departmental officers, in conjunction with other authorities, are evidence of my commitment to protect the public from the risks associated with unlicensed, illegal and counterfeit medicines.

"These medicines, if they had managed to reach the street could have led to serious harm and it is excellent news that we have been able to successfully intervene on this occasion," he said.

"Anyone illegally importing and supplying unlicensed medicinal products such as these has no regard for the potential harm they could pose. I would urge the public to be vigilant and ensure that they do not put their health at risk or fund this crime by purchasing medication from an illicit source."

Recovery of the potentially dangerous illegal prescription only medicines took place on Friday 19 August during searches of two residential dwellings in South Belfast and Comber, County Down.

DHSSPS Medicines Regulatory Group Senior Enforcement Officer, Peter Moore said: "The Department has made it very clear that it will not tolerate the importation or supply of illegal prescription medicines and this operation clearly demonstrates our determination to stop this kind of activity which can pose a real risk to the general public.

"As a result of this investigation, we have prevented illegal and dangerous prescription only medicines reaching the streets here, where they would undoubtedly have had a real potential to cause serious harm.

"It is vital that we get the message across that taking unlicensed medicines from an unknown source can be dangerous. These types of drugs being sold, usually online, have undergone no quality control and there can be no guarantee about their safety. Misuse of prescription drugs can lead to abuse, addiction and other serious problems," he said, adding, "The public is advised that they should steer clear of unregistered websites of unlicensed Internet sellers of these types of medicines and should always seek the guidance of a doctor or healthcare professional."

Oxycodone is a Class A drug under the Misuse of Drugs act. The effects, addiction, and chemical composition of oxycodone are extremely similar to heroin.