Fears over fake Valium flooding city following deaths of three men.

WARNING: Users urged to avoid anything sold as Xanax

It is feared a new batch of anti-anxiety drugs flooding into Dundee could cause devastation after being linked to three deaths in a matter of days.

Alprazolam, which is sold under the brand name Xanax, is thought to have been a factor in a trio of male deaths in the west of the city over Friday and Saturday.

Toxicology tests are yet to be carried out, but Addaction’s Dave Barrie fears the influx of the drug is to blame.

Mr Barrie said: “We don’t know how far they have circulated and to where in the city.

“When it’s the black market, you just don’t know.”

Alprazolam, like diazepam and etizolam, is a benzodiazepine, and is often sold with opiates such as heroin and methadone, with are frequently both implicated in deaths in Dundee.

“Xanax is like Valium, but stronger, and because it is illicit, users won’t know how strong it is.

DAVE BARRIE, ADDACTION

Experts say when opiates and nemzodiazepines are taken together, the overdose risk increases dramatically.

Police declined to give details of the ages or specific locations of the deaths, which are currently being treated as “unexplained”.

It is understood a line of inquiry being followed is that all three are drug-related and that all were all found in the west of the city, with one of the men discovered in Burnside Court, Lochee.

Mr Barrie added: “Xanax is like Valium but stronger and because it’s illicit, users won’t know how strong it is.

“It’s likely to be stronger than legal varieties.

“Our message to everyone locally is don’t take anything sold as Xanax.

“It is not a drug usually seen in the Dundee drug landscape.

“It is very worrying.

“The timing is what leads us to believe it could be this batch.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We are currently investigating three unexplained deaths in Dundee between Friday 22 and Saturday 23 November.

“The cause of each death has yet to be fully established and there is nothing to suggest they are linked at this time.

“Inquiries continue into the circumstances and reports have been submitted to the procurator fiscal.”