Police in the north of England have warned the public after three people from the same UK town died from “fatal medical episodes” linked to a suspected batch of dangerous drugs.
Two men and a woman were confirmed dead in the South Shields area, near Newcastle, on Tuesday afternoon, with Northumbria Police launching an urgent investigation.
Officers say the tragic deaths could be linked to the same batch of drugs. The victims, who are yet to be identified, are a man in his 30s, a man in his 40s and a woman in her 30s. Their families have all been informed.
Detective Inspector Emma Martin, of Northumbria Police, told Sky News: “While the circumstances surrounding these three deaths remain unexplained, our over-arching priority as a force is to protect people from harm.”
She added: “While it remains unconfirmed at this stage, we are exploring the possibility that all three deaths are linked to drugs and possibly the same batch which has led to fatal medical episodes.
“We would never advocate anyone taking illegal drugs. It is, however, important that we ensure this warning message is spread far and wide, given all three deaths occurred in the same town – and in similar circumstances.
“If you are a drug user, or know anyone struggling with addiction, please be mindful of this message as we suspect this particular batch could have fatal consequences.”