The Home Office is so concerned it has set up a taskforce to respond to the risk synthetic opioids such as fentanyl pose to the UK.
Most heroin sourced in Europe comes from Afghanistan. But a Taliban clampdown has seen a 90 per cent cut in production, making it harder to find and driving up prices.
Police leaders fear heroin could be replaced by much more potent synthetic opioids, often produced in China, such as fentanyl, which led to 75,000 deaths in the United States in 2022.
Last month Met Police officers seized 150,000 nitazene tablets – a synthetic opioid more potent than fentanyl – during raids in north London.
Nitazene has been linked to 54 deaths in the UK in just six months, with tests being carried out on 40 other overdoses. On Wednesday, Graeme Biggar, director general of the National Crime Agency, said synthetic opioids are a key concern for the agency.
He revealed: “Investigations are now underway into whether the opioids seized by the Met were made in the UK or imported from China, with the latter thought to be more likely.”
Donna Jones, chairwoman of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, said: “Our drugs portfolio is highlighting the imminent threat posed by the reduction of poppy farming in Afghanistan and the inevitable surge in the synthetic opioid market.
“Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are up to 10 times stronger than heroin. We know this is coming and we need to prepare and equip police forces to break the networks that will bring these life-threatening issues to our shores.”
Chief Con Trevor Rodenhurst, of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, said: “You have to look at how things play out on the streets of the US. Often what happens there starts to happen here.”
A Home Office response to a Home Affairs Select Committee inquiry into drugs said: “UK agencies are highly alert to the threat from
synthetic drugs, including synthetic opioids like fentanyl, as well as synthetic cannabinoids and benzodiazepines, which have been linked to drug related deaths in the UK.
“We have established a cross-Government taskforce to lead and co-ordinate the response to the risk from synthetic opioids to the UK.”
Its aim is to look at policy and legislative action, including enhancing early warning systems.
