Argentina reels as toxic batch of cocaine kills at least 20
ABC News
A batch of cocaine that has killed at least 20 people in Argentina appears to have been laced with a synthetic opioid, and police are scrambling to get as much of it off the streets as they can
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- A batch of cocaine that has killed at least 20 people in Argentina appears to have been laced with a synthetic opioid, and police are scrambling to get as much of it off the streets as they can.
Health authorities say at least another 84 people have been hospitalized after using the contaminated cocaine, some of whom remain on life-saving respiratory support. The victims were mostly young Argentines from poor neighborhoods around the nation's capital, Buenos Aires.
Police and public officials said that Argentina has never before suffered a drug-poisoning tragedy of this scale. Coverage of the deadly cocaine led national television broadcasts and was atop every newspaper.
Allan Santillán, 19, smoked the cocaine Tuesday night before going to sleep and his mother, a nurse, rushed him to a public hospital early the next morning.
