Police unsure if killer drugs were part of same deadly batches after four deaths over weekend

Police were called to the Coach Road Estate in Washington, just before 3.50pm on Saturday, October 3.

An 18-year-old man, who had reportedly fallen ill after taking MDMA, was pronounced dead a short time later. Seven people were arrested in connection with his death and have been released under investigation.

The teenagers death was one of four drug related deaths in the region, prompting Police to urge people to safely dispose of any illegal substances they have at a police station.

Two 18-year-old female Newcastle University students were found dead at accommodation on Richardson Road, Newcastle over the weekend having both believed to have taken ketamine.

Two 18-year-old men were arrested on supplying a Class B drug in relation to their deaths, one has since been released on bail.

Elsewhere in Newcastle a a 21-year-old Northumbria University student had fallen ill at a property in Melbourne Street, Newcastle. He was also believed to have taken MDMA.

He was taken to hospital, but died a short time later and a 20-year-old man arrested on suspicion of supplying Class A drugs has since been released on police bail.

The Washington teenager was not a student and Northumbria Police Chief Inspector Steve Wykes has said it is ‘too early to say’ whether the two MDMA-related deaths are linked, or if all four deaths are connected to one another.

He also said it was too early to say if the drugs potentially came from two larger deadly batches.

He told a press conference: “Illegal drugs are never safe and the danger that they pose cannot be underestimated.”

"It is right to acknowledge, in response to a question about linking these incidents, that two of the deaths have happened in the same building, and that is one line of inquiry.

"However, investigations are continuing and essentially, we are keeping an open mind.”

Newcastle Vice Chancellor Chris Day said the two young women had only arrived at the university.

He said: “They have only been here 24 hours, 48 hours, so this was not about lack of support, this was about a very, very tragic set of circumstances.”

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