Anaesthetic powder masked as cocaine
With the known high rate of cocaine use in the Queenstown area Police are urging extreme caution among users after a white powder being sold as cocaine cut with the local anaesthetic tetracaine was found in Dunedin recently.
An Otago-wide warning has been issued as tetracaine can potentially cause fatal heart issues and causes some major side effects. “People consuming this powder thinking it only contains cocaine are at risk of serious harm,” the Police alert says.
Queenstown Senior Sergeant Glenn Wilkinson says wastewater tests in Queenstown show “consistently high levels of cocaine” per head of population. “If it’s in Dunedin then there’s definitely a concern that it could be found in Queenstown,” he says.
“Given that cocaine is found here people need to be very aware,” Wilkinson says.
“Know what you’re buying is not always what you think you’re buying, whether that’s cocaine, methamphetamine or powders, which are often cut with other substances,” he says. “There’s always that risk when you’re buying from a dealer which is why our Organised Crime Unit is always targeting drug dealers throughout the Otago Lakes.
“We target the suppliers, and we know cocaine is in the resort town so beware.”
Earlier this month a Police drug dealing operation in Queenstown seized multiple illicit drugs, including ketamine, cocaine, MDMA, LSD, cannabis and psilocybin, along with $45,000 cash. A 39-year-old man was arrested and is before the courts.
The ‘High Alert’ issued recommends drug checking to help minimise the risk and help identify when a substance is not what it has been sold as.
Know Your Stuff NZ deputy manager Jes Weston says knowing that the powder containing tetracaine sold as cocaine has been found in Dunedin it’s “entirely possible” that it’s made its way to Queenstown and Wanaka, around the South Island, and anywhere in NZ.
“It’s definitely a concern,” he says. “It’s a white powder like any other and it could be cocaine or tetracaine so either get it tested or be very cautious,” he says. With the ski season approaching users in the region should be very aware.
Unfortunately Know Your Stuff doesn’t have any upcoming clinics in the Queenstown Lakes region with the nearest drug testing at The Needle Exchange in Dunedin. “We’d love to be able to receive samples in the post, but we’re not allowed, and we’d love to have more testing in Queenstown and Wanaka, but we’re limited by funding,” Weston says.
Anyone with concerns or information about possible tetracaine being sold locally as cocaine, or any other drug in Otago Lakes is urged by Police to report that to NZ Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800555111.
