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AUTHORITIES IN AMSTERDAM have warned that potentially lethal white heroin is being sold as cocaine in the city after three Danish tourists became ill this week.
Three people died and 17 became seriously ill with breathing problems late last year after inhaling heroin in Amsterdam, a city whose reputation as a centre of free-wheeling drug culture draws tourists from around the world.
City officials said a major public awareness campaign linked to those earlier cases will be resumed.
The campaign, which targets tourists, involves large signs around the city warning in flashing lights that “Extremely dangerous cocaine is sold to tourists” in the area, as well as posters and flyers in bars, pot-selling cafes and hotels.
Police launched a major investigation into the heroin sales last year, but never arrested a suspect. Police are now investigating whether the heroin sold to the Danish tourists came from the same batch that caused the deaths and injuries last year.
They have also released grainy photos taken by a security camera of a man suspected of selling the heroin to the Danes.
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I dont know how they havnt arrested a suspect, walking through Amsterdam your hassled by a black man every 3 steps trying to sell you cocaine, its like being asked for change from a homeless person in Dublin
Charlie… viagra…
Really? I live in Holland, head to Amsterdam 3-4 times a month. Not once have I been hassled in that respect(though I suppose I wouldn’t be a target customer for viagra) nor have my friends, male or female. The Dutch themselves a pretty low uptake for hard drug use in Europe. Maybe they just push it on tourists who they assume are over to get out of their skulls for a weekend. Maybe its around specific areas. Thomas, what part of the Dam were you hanging around that you couldn’t walk ”3 steps” without being offered some coke?
Well i was staying on Warmoesstraat(?) and it was mostly along there and surrounding areas, the square and Damrak running up the train station and behind in the red light(by far the worst) and as far down as rembrantplein. On two seperate occasions years apart I was stopped by a group of lads who told us how they wanted us to respect amsterdam and not cause any trouble and then proceeded to try and sell us coke. And you right about the Dutch none of them ever seem to be Dutch, not judging by the accents anyway.
I agree with Thomas. Myself and the boyfriend were there 2 weeks ago . And asked did we want coke even at 11 in the morning.. on the bright side .. we saw signs from the police posted up everywhere about what to do if you or your friend took this stuff and shops even test the stuff for you to see if its cocaine or not so at least theyre trying to keep the harm to a minimum. .
I was there 3 weeks ago and not once was I offered any cocaine, ffs.
Cross the bridge from Central Station and turn right Gary.
no need to even take a right if its late enough start off at the few clubs just straight down from the station, shouldnt be more than 5 minutes before your offered.
In regards to the article though i cant understand why people would buy from someone on the side of the road, I wouldnt buy cocaine from a bloke off the side of the road in Dublin i dont know why people would start doing it in amsterdam
I don’t understand why they’re being warned… If they want to take the wrong illegal shit, let them….
So you think they shouldn’t be warned and maybe die instead?
It’s called ‘harm reduction’. Some will always take them, for recreation or addiction, so at least we can limit the harm they do to themselves when they do.
So for example heroin addicts are going to inject anyway, so thats why some cities have a safe injection site and needle exchange, in the same building, with EMTs on duty, this stops contaminated needles littering streets and public transport, may save someone who goes into cardiac arrest, and limits the spread of things like HIV…we can say “f—k um” and not do that, but that won’t stop them taking the drugs, it WILL make it more likely your kid jumps on the seat in the bus and gets stuck by a needle.
Call it natural selection if you will…
Well if that’s the case hows it going so far? Have all the skangers died out? or even thinned out?
It may be rare but people do kick it and go on to have very productive lives, they’re human beings, and throwing them on a trash heap is neither pragmatic (eg the syringe on the bus example) or humane. I always say to people imagine it was your own son, brother, best friend who came to you and said they were struggling with an addiction, would you commit to help them or would you tell them to go off and OD because they’re lifes not worth saving?
You’re sick, man.
Isn’t this story months old? I am sure I saw it about a month ago on BBC when the 3 British tourists died.
Well it’s good to see drugs being illegal, as always, stops people from taking them..
The more drug users that can be encouraged to take this stuff the better. A bit of a clean up is needed every now and then.
You appear to be lumping every drug user in with Tomo de mad thing who bugs you for change at the Luas machine. They’re warning people who are looking for cocaine, and are getting heroin…cocaine does have many addicts but it’s also got a huge number of recreational users most of whom are middle class to wealthy in white collar jobs with very productive lives contributing much to society.
Shane Fox News just called, they want you as their next news anchor.
Sure aren’t we all drug users Shane? Including yourself most likely. With our tea, coffee, alcohol, antibiotic, a tablet for this a tablet for that.
Or did you mean illegal drug users? If so Why do you want illegal drug users to die?
Yea chances are oreilly’s spot will be freed up soon so you can take over
Ignore those taxed drugs; those are good drugs.
When it’s a Nestle executive or a Phizer executive these same drug war firebrands have no problem licking their boots, introducing their lobbyists bills (word for word often) and begging them for political donations (thankfully they can’t corrupt our politics with them the way they can in the US)
anybody that dies while snorting what they think is cocaine has not led a productive life.
Completely untrue.. Many productive people have died from drug overdoses
“Anybody that dies from snorting what they think is cocaine has not led a productive life”
I don’t follow your logic there Shane. Is that based on some statistical analysis or just your warped, small minded nonsensical logic?
Not quite as warped though, as wishing death or a “clean out” as you put it, on people who you believe have not led productive lives!!!
Why So much hate, is life that bad?
john doe, if you died today while mistaking snorting heroin that you thought was cocaine could it be said that you had a productive day ? Do you follow that logic ?
Ah come on Shane.
You don’t really understand the difference between logic and unfounded speculation do you?
Seen as we are speculating, and as you asked, on that unfortunate hypothetical day that you are proposing, if I had successfully negotiated an important business deal, or landed a big job, then yes I would have had a productive day.
Now let me ask you a question…
Do you believe that a person can both take cocaine (which I do not) occasionally and be successful/ have an otherwise normal happy healthy life?
No better way to end a dancing competition.
in a city where it is legal to smoke pot….why bother with cocaine?
tourists are obviously fooled into thinking it’s genuine coke considering pot is legal or they are high anyway and want to try a different high…
have your say