BUENOS AIRES: The death toll from consuming cocaine suspected of containing a poisonous substance in the Argentine province of Buenos Aires has risen to 20 and 74 people have been hospitalised, Sputnik reported, quoting the TN broadcaster report on Wednesday.
The death toll was 16 in the latest reports from the city of Hurlingham and the county of Tres de Febrero in the early hours of Thursday.
The Argentine Health Ministry has reportedly formed a special committee to monitor new cases of poisoning in the country. Experts are trying to determine the substance mixed with the cocaine. The authorities do not exclude that it could contain rat poison, the media said.
Security Minister of Buenos Aires Sergio Berni urged people who had bought cocaine within the last 24 hours to throw it away. Law enforcers warn that more “highly toxic” drugs have been circulating in the region.
The Argentine police have launched an investigation into the incident. According to the broadcaster, law enforcers have so far seized 15,000 doses of cocaine and arrested eight people who may be involved in the poisoning. Drugs similar to the ones that caused 20 fatalities were found in a hiding place of one of the detainees, according to media reports. The man had been on the wanted list since December. - Bernama