There is a lot of bad drugs in circulation in Argentina's capital. The contaminated cocaine has already killed at least 74 people. At least XNUMX people have been admitted to Argentine hospitals, authorities said.
Investigators believe the illegal drug was either laced with some kind of poison or cut with another substance.
Throw away cocaine
The regional security minister called on users who have cocaine bought it to throw it away. Reports suggest the drugs were bought in the same slum and nine arrests have been made.
Investigators are waiting for the results of autopsy tests to compare the drugs seized in raids with those of the victims. Those affected are from the capital's Hurlingham, Tres de Febrero and San Martín districts and were taken to 10 different local hospitals.
War between cocaine gangs
Sergio Berni, the Security Minister of the Province of Buenos Aires: “Any dealer who buys cocaine cuts it. Some make do with non-toxic substances like starch. Others use hallucinogens.” On this occasion, however, the drug was adulterated with a harmful substance as part of a "war between drug traffickers," he told AFP news agency. Authorities suspect the cocaine has been contaminated with a strong sedative.
Another official, the Attorney General of San Martin, Marcelo Lapargo, said: “This event is exceptional. We have no precedent.” He added: "We believe the substance was added intentionally, it is not a processing error." Victims are said to have suffered from convulsions and sudden heart attacks.
High Cocaine Use
Cocaine (hydrochloride) is a highly addictive drug extracted from the leaves of coca plants and is commonly snorted. A 2019 report on drug use in the Americas listed Argentina as the country with the third highest percentage of cocaine use per person, after the US and Uruguay.
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