‘A ticking time bomb’: Grieving mother’s warning over deadly Chinese opioid epidemic

When Claire Rocha received the results of her son Dylan’s post-mortem, she had never heard of isotonitazene – the potent synthetic opioid which prematurely claimed his life.

At up to 500 times stronger than morphine, even the most minute doses can prove fatal.

But Dylan, 21, had no idea the heroin he had received through the post was laced with the deadly substance when he relapsed after battling a drug problem linked to his depression.

The talented musician’s sudden death in July 2021 is thought to be among the first fatalities in Britain.