The Italian government on Thursday
vowed to fight the spread of fentanyl after the synthetic
'zombie drug' that has ravaged America was found in some batches
of heroin in Italy.
"We are ready to do deals with all countries to fight synthetic
drugs, an issue that will be central to the summit with central
Asian countries," Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio
Tajani told a press conference after a government summit.
"We will make a commitment to combat synthetic drugs with the
United States and withing the G7", which Italy currently chairs,
said Tajani.
"It is a global battle: we will certainly work with the UN and
also with China.
"It is a phenomenon that must be nipped in the bud before it has
too large numbers".
Sabrina Rossi Strano, head of Italy's forensic toxicologists,
told the summit that fentanyly had been found in four
drug-linked autopsies last year and in one case it was the
primary cause of death.
Cabinet Secretary Alberto Mantovano told the conference that the
dark web, espcially Chinese sites,was the main entry way for
fentanyl in Italy, which had recently been found in a cut dose
of heroin.
Health Minister Orazio Schillaci said "it is important to be
ready for an increase in the diffusion of this drug".
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