Liverpool may be heroin conduit

The heroin behind the deaths of at least eight addicts in Ireland and 14 in Scotland may have come through Liverpool, sources in the Greater Glasgow Health Authority said last night.

"One of the possibilities being looked at, I understand, is that the drug came into Liverpool and then some came up to Glasgow and Aberdeen, and more then went across to Dublin," said a senior official involved in the investigation into 12 heroin-related deaths in Glasgow and two in Aberdeen.

A spokesman for Strathclyde police would not confirm this, saying all inquiries were being dealt with by the health authority.

Supt John Sayer, of Merseyside police, said, however, there was no evidence that Liverpool was the source of the contaminated heroin.

"No illicit drug is safe, no matter where it is taken," he said. "Merseyside police are working closely with all police authorities in the country against the trade."

Meanwhile, Det Chief Supt Ted Murphy, of the Garda National Drugs Unit, has been appointed to head the Garda investigation into the deaths here. He said the main country though which heroin passed before it came to Ireland was Holland.

Any death caused by drugs could be regarded as "suspicious", he said, and each was investigated.

"Every drugs seizure brought in will be analysed and tested for other drug contents as well as for bacteria," said Det Chief Supt Murphy.

He also said injecting equipment would be forensically examined.

Of the eight people who have died in Dublin, Wicklow and Kildare since May 1st, two were women. Of the 15 confirmed cases in Glasgow, four were women.