A groundworker lost his life after taking drugs contaminated with an extra-strong man-made opioid.
Christopher Bray’s death last September was the latest to be linked to a contaminated batch of drugs circulating in autumn 2021. Earlier this month, two men were found to have died after smoking crack cocaine adulterated with the synthetic opioid isotonitazene
On Tuesday, Oxford Coroner’s Court heard that 46-year-old Mr Bray was found dead in his Temple Cowley flat on September 28 last year after neighbours called the police, concerned they had not seen him for several days. Inside, officers found Mr Bray’s body together with his dog.
Toxicology tests showed cocaine, a small amount of synthetic opioid isotonitazene and epilepsy drug Gabapentin in his blood.
Detectives also had a crack pipe, which was on a living room table, tested by experts. There were traces of isotonitazene on the pipe.
The man-made opioid was said last year by researchers at Imperial College London to be 500 times stronger than morphine. It was described as the ‘secret killer’ in a letter to the British Medical Journal.
Crescent Road, Oxford Picture: GOOGLE
Senior Coroner Darren Salter told an inquest into Mr Bray’s death on Tuesday morning: “There has been an ongoing police inquiry into the presence of isotonitazene in a batch of drugs that were circulating and there have been a number of deaths where multiple drug toxicity is the cause of death and this new drug – new opioid, isotonitazene – has been found in those cases as well.
“That is something which healthcare services are monitoring and have been and there is a police investigation also in respect of that.”
The inquest heard that Mr Bray had struggled with alcohol and drug addiction had sought help from charity Turning Point in the months leading up to his death.
READ MORE: Deaths of Abingdon men linked to drug '500 times stronger than morphine'
He suffered two accidental overdoses in August and September but was revived with naloxone, a powerful medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
He was described by his brother as ‘much happier and jovial’ and was talking about returning to work after an accident four years earlier that resulted in him being signed off.
Mr Bray was said to have complained of a pain in his chest in the week before his death. A post-mortem found pulmonary emboli – small blood clots – in his lungs.
The coroner recorded a conclusion of drug-related death. The cause of Mr Bray’s death was recorded as multiple drug toxicity and pulmonary emboli.
Following the inquest, Thames Valley Police confirmed the investigation into the contaminated drugs – given the title Operation Ropery – continued. No arrests have yet been made.
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