Warning issued after nitazene misrepresented as heroin

A warning has been issued after an orange powder being sold as heroin was instead found to be a nitazene – a highly potent synthetic opioid.

The discovery was made after a sample of the substance was sent to a New Zealand Drug Foundation checking clinic in Auckland, High Alert said.

The powder was possibly in circulation nationwide.

"Further analysis of the sample conducted by the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) confirmed the presence of a nitazene," High Alert said, "but, at this stage, the specific substance remains unknown. No heroin was detected.

"The powder did not react to nitazene test strips – while not all nitazenes can be detected with these strips, it’s still important to continue using them to detect other nitazenes that are in circulation in New Zealand. Fentanyl test strips also cannot be used to detect nitazenes."

High Alert said nitazenes may have been linked to several deaths in New Zealand.

The agency said heroin and nitazenes were both opioids which produced similar effects but nitazenes "are significantly more potent than heroin".

"People consuming this substance believing it to be heroin are at significant risk of harm, including death."

High Alert urged anyone choosing to take orange powders to exercise "extreme caution", adding that consumption "could lead to serious harm, including death, even if you have experience using opioids".

"It is important to never assume that what you have is the same as what you are being told it is. Misrepresentation can occur anywhere along the supply chain."

Anyone who has taken the substance and began to lose consciousness or breathe slowly was urged to call 111 immediately.