Garda warns of toxic drug 'Mandy'

on 12/09/2012 15:54:35

It has emerged that a street drug thought to have played a part in the deaths of two men in Cork was responsible for the deaths of a number of other people across Europe.

The bodies of Michael Coleman and Liam Coffey were found at a house in Kinsale last Sunday.

Gardaí say they are treating the investigation into their deaths as seriously as they would a murder inquiry.

The HSE has already issued a warning about the brown powder which contains MDMA and PMMA.

Superintendent Eddie McKeown from Bandon Garda station says it is the combination of these chemicals which makes the drug, known as Mandy, so dangerous.

"Each of those drugs on their own are dangerous drugs but when they're combined they have been known to kill.

"In the Cork area, the combination of these drugs is relatively new. There's a local name on it here in Cork, it could be known as something different in the rest of the country. It's known as Mandy here in Cork and it is sold as MDMA.

"But because of this addition to it of PMMA, it makes it very toxic."