‘Lethal’ drug 10,000 times stronger than morphine available on the dark web

Scientists issued a warning yesterday over a ‘lethal’ drug that is available from dozens of suppliers on the dark web.

Carfentanil, which was deployed as a chemical weapon by Russia against Chechen separatists in 2002, is said to be 10,000 times more powerful than morphine.

Ornella Corazza, professor of addiction science at Hertfordshire University, warned the Commons home affairs committee: ‘According to our systematic analysis of the dark net we found 118 listings where you could actually buy this substance. 

Carfentanil is a substance that acts on opioid receptors and is primarily used for pain relief and anesthesia which can make users unconcious and easily overdose

The potentially lethal drug is being sold in over a hundred listings on the dark web

‘Carfentanil is extremely toxic and powerful.’

Professor David Nutt, former head of the Government’s advisory committee on the misuse of drugs, warned that the group of drugs that carfentanil belonged to – fentanils – would pose a ‘serious problem’ if they became as widely used as in the United States.

‘Fentanils are the biggest risk drug because they are so lethal,’ he said. 

‘They are to my mind a big threat, particularly if there is a drought of heroin as there has been previously when Afghanistan stops production.’

Carfentanil belongs to the Fentanil or Fentanyl group of opioid drugs which have caused thousands of deaths since they appeared on the heroin market in California in the 1970s, and their recent increased availability on the illicit drug market is a major public health concern

Taliban leaders, who took control of Afghanistan last summer, announced last month that they were banning drug production – including that of opium poppies.

When they enforced a similar ban in 2000 to 2001 it led international drug cartels to turn to other types of illegal substances to make money.