‘Zombie’ chemical in fatal drug

The chemical inside the deadly drug that has killed about 20 people in New Zealand this year was the same one that left drug users in a ‘‘zombie-like’’ state in New York in 2015.

In December last year, The New York Times carried a new report about the ‘‘mass casualty event’’ after scores of people suffered adverse affects from a synthetic drug that contained AMBFUBINACA – said to be ‘‘85 times more potent than cannabis’’.

The extremely dangerous chemical was found in deadly drugs consumed by Kiwis this year, police have revealed.

Ten deaths over the course of July were linked to the hazardous drug in Auckland alone, triggering a number of police seizures of the drug as well as a public warning over its dangers.

Detective Inspector Scott Beard said: ‘‘I want to be very clear we have been open and transparent about our testing. This is what ESR is finding in the drugs we have seized.’’

Synthetic drugs have been linked to 20 deaths in recent months nationwide, prompting a renewed warning to stay away from the chemical-based substance.

The product had been referred to as ‘‘synthetic cannabis’’ but a renewed warning to stay away from the substance has prompted police and health authorities to call it synthetic drugs.

The Chief Coroner and New Zealand Police are pleading with people to stay away from the deadly drug.

Beard is calling on the community to tell police who is selling and manufacturing these drugs.

‘‘We need your help to catch these offenders and to hold them to account,’’ said Beard. ‘‘You may have noticed that we are not calling it synthetic cannabis. It is not cannabis.’’

Beard said police were ‘‘focused on arresting those responsible for the sale and supply of this dangerous drug’’.

People concerned with someone’s health following synthetic drug use should call 111 and ask for an ambulance, he said.