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THIS is the moment a British Airways plane was dramatically struck by lightning as devastating floods wreak havoc across Brazil’s largest city.

The Airbus A350 was parked at São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport when it was directly hit on its vertical stabilizer during a massive storm.

Incredible footage from Friday shows the electrifying moment as the lightning bolt connected to the fuselage for several seconds.

The plane, en route to London Heathrow, was delayed for inspections, while 21 other flights were redirected due to the severe weather.

Despite the shocking scenes, aviation experts confirmed to Brazilian media that lightning strikes on planes are common and generally harmless.

That’s thanks to advanced safety features that shield passengers from electrical discharge.

Elsewhere in São Paulo – a city with more than 11 million residents – chaos unfolded as heavy rains battered the city, dumping an entire month’s worth of rainfall in just hours.

Streets turned into rivers, cars were swept away, and one resident was spotted navigating the floodwaters on a jet ski.

Public transport ground to a halt, with locals crowding subway stations to escape the torrential downpour.

By Friday evening, over 120,000 Enel customers were left without power, with outages affecting nearly 180,000 homes at the storm’s peak.

Gusting winds and lighting added to the destruction, leaving neighbourhoods submerged and sparking urgent alerts from the Civil Defence.

For the first time, local authorities issued an emergency alert directly to residents’ phones, warning of the flooding and urging people to seek safety.

In the northern district of Vila Guilherme, part of the roof at the bustling Center Norte shopping mall collapsed under the weight of the rain.

Videos showed water cascading into the mall, forcing officials to cordon off sections for repairs, according to local outlet UOL.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

São Paulo has now entered a state of alert, with the city’s two major riverbanks threatened by rising waters.

The city remains braced for further impacts as thunderstorm season grips the region.

Brazil, once dubbed the “lightning strike capital of the world,” frequently sees fierce storms in January, adding to the challenges faced by residents during the rainy season.

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São Paulo remains braced for further impacts as thunderstorm season grips the region[/caption]

Reuters

Damaged cars after being swept away by flash floods following heavy rains at the Vila Madalena neighbourhood in São Paulo[/caption]

Reuters

Gusting winds and lighting added to the destruction across Brazil’s biggest city[/caption]

It comes after “apocalyptic” floods caused massive destruction in the southern part of the country last year.

The heavy downpours in Rio Grande do Sul state cost the lives of at least 100 people while another 130 were missing.

The floods affected some 400 municipalities causing a great deal of destruction across the state leaving 230,000 residents displaced.

Rescue efforts had to be halted as forecasters kept predicting more rain and strong winds as days went by.

The floods, which ravaged the state last May, saw hundreds of houses submerged, with only their roofs visible as locals were using small boards and surfboards to move around.

It also destroyed major highways, bridges, airports and even football stadiums.

The state’s capital city Porto Alegre alone is home to about 1.4 million people, and authorities estimate it will cost up to £745 million to clean up the damage.

Прем’єр-міністр Словаччини Роберт Фіцо не планує йти у відставку на тлі масових протестів у країні проти проросійського курсу уряду. Як повідомляє Bloomberg, про це політик заявив в інтерв’ю державному радіо Словаччини, передає Укрінформ. Відповідаючи на запитання, чи може народний рух змусити його піти з посади, Фіцо сказав: «Уряд може бути замінений лише за умови проведення виборів». […]

  Виростити буряк та отримати щедрий врожай можна, якщо дотримуватись рекомендацій. Вони є практичним досвідом, який на своєму городі перевірили тисячі городників та дачників. Ознайомтесь з 4 дієвими кроками. Крок №1 Буряк любить рихлий ґрунт. Не ігноруйте цю вимогу. Рихлення покращує повітрообмін, а він є дуже важливим для правильного розвитку кореневої системи. Коли насіння проросте […]

A MAN has been arrested after gardai seized drugs worth an estimated €300k in Dublin on Saturday.

Cops discovered suspected cannabis, vacuum-sealed packages and €2,000 cash while searching a home in the Dundrum area.

Alamy Stock

Gardai from the Dublin Crime Response Team carried out the planned search.

The cannabis is expected to be worth €300,000 analysis pending.

Speaking following the seizure, Assistant Commissioner Paul Cleary, DMR, said: “This large seizure of illicit drugs is a further example of the ongoing efforts of An Garda Siochana to target and arrest those in our communities who are involved in criminal activity.”

The arrested male, in his late 20s, is currently being held at a garda station in the Dublin Region.

A garda spokesperson added: “Gardai from the Dublin Crime Response Team (DCRT) have seized €300,000 worth of cannabis and arrested a man in his late 20s during an operation in South East Dublin on the 25th of January, 2025.

“During a planned search of a residence in the Dundrum area, cannabis herb worth approximately €300,000 (analysis pending), divided into vacuum-sealed packages, was discovered and seized along with €2,000 in cash.

“A man in his late 20s was arrested in connection with the seizure and is currently detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 at a Garda station in the Dublin Region.”

Gardai confirmed the “investigations are ongoing”.

Separately, two female teenagers were arrested in connection with a number of “coerced” bank customers withdrawing sums of cash in Dublin city centre.

Gardai received a report of a number of incidents that occurred on Monday and Tuesday this week.

It is understood they involved people being taken to cash points and retailers and being coerced into making substantial withdrawals of cash, which were then stolen.

The juveniles were arrested on Thursday in connection with these incidents.

Gardai confirmed investigations into the number of incidents remain ongoing.

A garda spokesperson previously said: “Gardai had received report of a number of incidents that occurred on the 20th and 21st of this week involving people being taken to cash points and retailers, and coerced into making substantial purchases and withdrawing sums of cash which were then stolen.”

Garda Info

LAURA Woods has taken the world of presenting by storm and has now given birth to her first child. 

But things haven’t always been plain-sailing for the 37-year-old, who was born in Dagenham.

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As Laura Woods gives birth to her first child, here we take a look inside her life away from the spotlight[/caption]

Eroteme

From her stalker hell and relentless trolling, to her Love Island romance and impressive net worth[/caption]

From being relentlessly trolled, to her stalker hell, here, we take a look inside Laura Woods’ life away from the spotlight.

Impressive net worth 

Laura kick-started her career by taking up print journalism at Kingston University. 

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Laura has an estimated net worth of around £2million[/caption]

Upon graduating, she got a job at Sky Sports as a runner, working her way up to become an editorial assistant before stepping sideways into the world of production.

She initially started presenting behind the scenes interviews for darts on the broadcaster’s YouTube channel, before securing a spot on Saturday morning children’s show Game Changers.

She then moved on to report on the NFL as well as working for the Soccer AM online presenting team, before breaking into the industry as a Super Sunday pitch-side reporter.

Now, thanks to her punditry ventures and various TV appearances, the TNT Sports and ITV star has amassed a very impressive net worth.

The TV presenter and journalist, who has become one of the most popular presenters in the land with the star often the face of Champions League coverage, now has an estimated net worth of around £2million – a sum which makes her one of the UK’s richest hosts. 

Love Island romance 

Not only has got an impressive net worth under her belt, but the new mum-of-one is also dating Adam Collard, Love Island’s hot lothario.

The pair began dating in 2023 and Adam himself revealed that it was he who initially slid into the presenter’s DMs.

The Geordie soon declared that Laura was ‘the one’ for him when their relationship went public after Laura shared a quickly deleted slew of loved-up snaps online.  

The couple now often share cuddly photos together on social media, with Adam dubbing his beau ‘a little bit of everything’ and Laura captioning a series of snaps including Adam ‘things I love’.

Their relationship blossomed after Laura broke up with boyfriend of eight years and England rugby star Alex Corbisiero, while Adam had previously dated Zara McDermott, Sarah Godfrey and Paige Thorne.

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She’s been dating Adam since 2023[/caption]

Speaking on her last relationship with Alex Corbisiero, Laura told The Sun: “My last relationship was eight years and I was nearing 30 when we broke up. It was my decision – it was the right one and I’ve never regretted it. 

“We’d lived in each other’s pockets and breaking up with him felt like coming up for air. The next thing for us was probably marriage and having kids. 

“And I do want that one day – I love being in love and I love kids. But I’ve prioritised work because I love that too and my ambitions are important to me.”

But back in September last year, Laura and Adam took their relationship to the next level, when Adam popped the question at the place they ‘fell in love’.

Adam got down on one knee on a beach in Cornwall, and Laura was delighted to say yes.

Instagram

Adam popped the question in Cornwall[/caption]

INSTAGRAM @laurawoodsy

She claimed Adam makes her ‘happy’ and described the engagement as ‘so special’[/caption]

She later took to social media to announce her engagement and wrote: “And just like that… You make me happy @adamcollard

“Thank you @carbisbayestate – the place we fell in love and now the place we got engaged, you made it so special What a summer x”

Now, Laura and Adam have now welcomed their first child together – Leo Ernie Collard. 

Adam announced the happy news on Instagram and shared a host of snaps showing the new parents getting to grips with their bundle of joy.

Laura was seen enjoying a recovery cup of tea in hospital, before pics of the pair taking Leo home and meeting Laura’s dog Lu.

Stalker hell 

But despite her dreamy romance with Adam, things haven’t always been rosy for this sports presenter.

Prior to welcoming her first child, the award-winning sports presenter was harassed for two years by a female football fan who sent her unwanted deliveries including an STI testing kit.

Laurawas left living in “real fear” during the campaign of harassment by Harneet Kaur, 25, who has now been jailed.

Liverpool fan Harneet became infatuated with Laura and harassed her over a two year period.

A family friend revealed Harneet was originally trying to contact Woods over promoting an eating app.

But, the contact turned to harassment with Harneet sending terrifying threats to kill Laura’s dog and sending Bibles, sexual health tests and food orders to the broadcaster’s London home.

The harassment campaign had an “enormous and devastating” effect on the presenter, Laura said in her victim impact statement.

The family friend said that Harneet had been working in a sales job for a window company before being laid off during Covid.

The friend said: “Harneet has done wrong, she accepts that, her family accepts that and has served her time and will learn from her mistakes.

“The good news for her is that she has a very supportive family and she will move on from this.”

Harneet’s family live in a smart semi-detached house in Walsall, West Mids.

Her father, an accountant, came to Britain as a seven-year-old to join his own father and has four children with his wife, of which Harneet is the second youngest.

Messages posted by Harneet online called Laura a “vile, stuck-up person”, a “Tory”, and even labelled her a “former prostitute who slept herself into a job”.

In October, Harneet posted a message saying “wtf is that coke head doing at Anfield” as well as a photo of Laura’s face on the body of an “overweight man”.

Harneet was arrested in April 2022 and re-arrested in August later the same year.

Her phone and iPad were seized both times, but the arrests failed to stop Harneet harassing Laura.

Sentencing her to 14 months in prison, the Judge said Harneet would have known the impact she was having on Laura.

‘Really nasty’ trolling

And not only has Laura had to deal with her stalking hell, but she’s also found herself subject to relentless trolling on more than one occasion.

Instagram @laurawoodsy

She’s also found herself trolled online on numerous occasions[/caption]

Prior to giving birth to her beautiful son, when speaking on the Monday Mile with Aimee Fuller podcast, Laura claimed that not only do male trolls call her a c**t, but women slam her for being childless. 

Laura explained that she is “old enough and ugly enough to deal with it”, but she worries about younger women entering into the celebrity world.

She said: “I would love to get all those people in one room and say ‘you called me fat, you called me skinny, you said that I am nearly 40 and childless and I need to buck up my ideas, you’re telling me I shouldn’t date this person because I know him better than I do’, all of these different things, I’ve had it all.

“Most of the time you go ‘right, I’m just not going to let that get to me’, but every now and then you kind of go ‘yeah, this is actually a bit s**t and why do I have to tick everyone’s boxes?’”

It does bother me, but you’ve got to get to a point where you don’t look at it

Laura Woods

The star, who previously faced a horror facial injury, explained that she no longer reads everything that’s written about her, in an attempt to protect her happiness.

“I’ve changed a lot of my settings now so I can’t see certain things. Back in the day, I used to meticulously read every single tweet. 

“Why would I allow that opinion of someone, who doesn’t know who I am, to influence the way that I live my life? I have to separate it, but it’s hard to,” she added. 

But Laura confessed that she is “sensitive” and admits that the trolling does bother her.

She confessed: “I’m sensitive, I’m a people pleaser, I want everyone to be happy and I don’t want to upset anyone or offend anyone. 

“But then you live your life by trying to make those people happy and you end up not being happy in yourself. It does bother me, but you’ve got to get to a point where you don’t look at it.

“The more well known you become, the more that happens. Every time you’re opening social media, you’re allowing them into your head.” 

The dedicated Arsenal fan claimed that X, formerly Twitter, can be a “really nasty place”, as she admitted: “If my team loses, I’m not going anywhere near it. I’ll see loads of people berating me and it’ll make me feel even worse. 

“Sometimes if someone sends me something awful, I’ll have a look at their page and who they’re interacting with, and sometimes I respond.

“There are massive benefits of being in the public eye – it’s great. But it also gives people access to you in a way. 

“You’re not really ever trained to accept or reject that feedback. That’s feedback on a completely different level.

“I really worry about youngsters that are coming through. There’s so many young girls that I speak to that have social media presences, and I think they’re amazing, but they’re dealing with a different layer of social media, even to what I deal with now.

“Football can be amazing on Twitter, but it can also be a really nasty place, if it’s against you. 

“I’m old enough and ugly enough to deal with Bob from West Brom dealing me a c**t.” 

THIS is the moment that British teacher David Armitage was detained by cops in Thailand 21 years after his wife was murdered.

The university lecturer was led away from his home by immigration police after his residency visa was revoked.

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British teacher David Armitage was detained by police in Thailand[/caption]

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His residency visa has been revoked[/caption]

police handouts

At least seven immigration officials arrived at his home on Thursday[/caption]

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He has denied murdering his wife Lamduan Seekanya[/caption]

Officials acted after Interpol issued a Blue Notice which allows police to “collect additional information about a person’s identity, location or activities in relation to a criminal investigation”.

It is thought the notice was issued as part of the Lady of the Hills investigation by British cops into the murder of his Thai wife Lamduan.

At least seven immigration officials arrived at his home in the town of Kanchanaburi at 5pm last Thursday to detain him.

Bearded Armitage – wearing a blue jacket and shirt – hugged a woman outside his home and checked his gate was padlocked before being led to a waiting police car.

After being driven to a local immigration centre he was transferred to a facility in Bangkok where he will remain until he leaves Thailand.

He had 48 hours to lodge an appeal against the decision but failed to do so meaning he will now be deported.

The development came six years after he denied murdering his wife Lamduan when The Sun tracked him down to his remote home.

She had moved to the UK in 1991 after marrying Armitage, who is from Burton-in-Kendal, Cumbria, in Bangkok.

They settled in Portsmouth where Armitage worked as a teacher and Lamduan washed dishes in a Thai restaurant, before moving to Rugby, Warwickshire.

The mother-of-three vanished in the summer of 2004 but was never reported missing.

Her partially clothed body was found in a mountain stream around a mile from the village of Horton-in-Ribblesdale, in the Yorkshire Dales.

She was dubbed the Lady of the Hills by villagers who buried her in an anonymous grave in Horton in 2007.

Her headstone reads: “The Lady of The Hills. Found 20th Sept 2004. Name Not Known. Rest in Peace.”

Cops initially thought her death was non-suspicious.

Around a decade later North Yorkshire Police’s cold case unit launched a fresh probe and declared her death was murder.

The mother-of-three was finally identified as Lamduan after fresh police appeals.

Her parents Buasa and Joomsri had spent years trying to find out what happened to her.

And since she was identified they have pleaded for her body to be returned to Thailand so they can hold a Buddhist funeral but she remains buried in Yorkshire.

Police Handout

Interpol issued a Blue Notice against the British teacher[/caption]

Supplied

Armitage hugged a woman before he was led away by police[/caption]

Mum Joomsri told The Sun: “We have not had any update on the case for a couple of years and didn’t know about David’s detention.

“And we have not heard any more about her remains– we have no hope.”

Armitage never reported his wife missing when she vanished in 2004 and shortly after he moved to Thailand with his two children.

The Sun tracked him down to his remote home in 2019 when he denied murdering her.

News Group Newspapers Ltd

Lamduan’s mum Joomsri Seekanya, 73, previously said her daughter’s marriage ran into trouble[/caption]

News Group Newspapers Ltd

David, Lamduan and their daughter Charlena in Thailand[/caption]

News Group Newspapers Ltd

David Armitage with his son George in Western Thailand[/caption]

He said there had been a whispering campaign against him in the Thai media but added: “I didn’t kill my wife. Absolutely not.

“I know the inferences are there but I’m just getting on with my life. It’s been a long time.”

He said he would cooperate with police but when North Yorkshire officers flew to Thailand to speak to him in February 2023 he declined to meet them.

Immigration police acted after Interpol issued a Blue Notice and it was decided that Armitage, 62, came under the Section 12(7) of the Thai Immigration Act.

That states foreigners can be deported if they are “likely to cause disruption jeopardising public peace or safety or the kingdom security or being a person with warrant of arrest issued by a foreign government.”

A Blue Notice is not an arrest warrant but it was decided Armitage still met the test and he will now have to leave Thailand.

He is free to travel to any country he chooses but if he returns to the UK North Yorkshire Police said they were keen to speak to him.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “We are aware of the detention in Thailand of David Armitage, the husband of Lamduan Armitage.

“We understand it relates to his visa status and residence in Thailand and is entirely a matter for the Immigration Service of the Royal Thai Police.

“Should Mr Armitage be deported, we understand that he will have a choice as to where he goes, which will include return to the UK.

“Should that occur, we will again make every effort to speak to him about the investigation.”

THE exact moment Wynne Evans made his vile sexual comment to Strictly Come Dancing tour host Janette Manrara has now come to light.

The opera singer let slip the shock remark at the start of the Strictly live tour shows before pulling out of the Glasgow performance, citing an ankle injury.

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The opera singer, 52, has issued an apology for the distasteful remark which came amid a photocall for the show’s live tour[/caption]

BBC

Wynne is no stranger to a Strictly scandal and was accused of ‘groping’ professional partner Katya Jones last year[/caption]

In a new image, Wynne, 52, can be seen giving Janette, 41 – who was a former BBC One show professional until 2021 – a side eye before bursting into a fit of giggles.

His eyebrows are raised as he delivered the crude remark, also caught on a record, which is said to have left the BBC anchor “hanging onto” his day-job.

The BBC Wales presenter was heard suggesting a threesome with mum-of-one Janette, using the derogatory term “spit roast.”

It came at a photocall to launch the Strictly live tour, the Go Compare singer reportedly pulled a suggestive face at actor Jamie Borthwick as Janette moved between them — which is when he allegedly made the joke.

An image shows Wynne, wearing a blue top, glancing over his right shoulder at Janette, who can be seen standing next to him gazing at the floor.

He has since issued an apology and told The Mail on Sunday: “My language was inappropriate and unacceptable, for which I sincerely apologise.”

BBC and Strictly Live producers said: “We have made it clear to Wynne we do not tolerate such behaviour on tour.”

Janette’s spokeswoman said she had been “unaware of this comment.”

Wynne was then spotted brushing off the scandal as he was seen singing on stage – despite being unable to dance.

He shared images of his bruised ankle in a story on Instagram after his injury threw preparations for the live show into chaos.

In a video posted on the social media site on Saturday evening, he said: “Ankle’s getting a bit better, it was great to be able to sing in Glasgow tonight, even if I couldn’t dance, hopefully back tomorrow.

“But watch this space, I’ll let you know in the morning. See how the swelling goes down, and all that kind of stuff, thanks for all the lovely messages, amazing.”

WYNNE’S WOES

Dad of two Wynne is sadly no stranger to a TV scandal.

Wynne previously came under fire in last year’s Strictly series when he was seen groping his dance partner Katya Jones, but they dismissed it as a joke.

He then told how he had been left “heartbroken” over the backlash, which came when he was seen with his hand around professional partner Katya‘s waist.

She was also seen refusing to high-five the singer – sparking rumours of a fall-out.

The duo were quick to issue a video apology and insisted it was all an innocent “inside joke.”

Despite fans demanding the pair clarify exactly what “the joke” was, the pair did not elaborate further.

He was then accused of making another distasteful remark towards a make-up artist on the long-running reality show.

Now, it is claimed he has been left “hanging onto” his radio job after the rude remark.

PR experts warned the BBC could be forced to “sever ties” with the broadcaster completely.

Brand and culture expert Nick Ede told MailOnline: “I think the BBC will have to tread very carefully with Wynne as his controversial and lewd comments will soon outweigh his popularity and the BBC won’t tolerate this anymore.

“He will hanging on to his position but all eyes will be on him and if he makes another negative move the BBC may have to sever their ties with him.”

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Wynne brushed off the scandal as he sung on stage – despite being unable to dance due to an ankle injury[/caption]

BBC

Wynne and Katya previously described the ‘grope’ scandal as a ‘joke’[/caption]

The Mega Agency

PR experts have now suggested Wynne has been left ‘hanging’ onto his BBC radio job due to the latest slip-up[/caption]

За словами експертів і виробників побутової техніки, більша частина її власників навіть не здогадується про весь потенціал девайсів. Розповідаємо, як перетворили пральну машину в сушарку. У кожної господині існує власний перелік домашніх завдань. Так, наприклад, миття підлоги чи посуду може ускладнювати наш день, але прання найчастіше належить до переліку легких домашніх задач. Втім, сказати цього […]

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A LETHAL Frankenstein narcotic that can kill its victims in the smallest of doses is increasingly being found in vapes and party drugs.

Chelsea Curtis, from the US Attorney’s Narcotics Unit, told The Sun how her older brother Scott, 32, tragically died after he unknowingly took cocaine laced with the deadly opioids called Nitazenes.

Chelsea Curtis

Chelsea Curtis and her older brother Scott who died from cocaine laced with nitazene[/caption]

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Scott’s twin brother Steven died of an overdose in 2009[/caption]

Chelsea Curtis

Curtis (bottom left) lost her twin brothers (top) and stepdad (left) to drugs while her mother (right) is still a user and her younger brother (bottom left) is in recovery[/caption]

Scott had taken a line of the laced coke when he got out of the shower before suddenly collapsing on the floor where he died.

The fatal super-strength drug, which is being smuggled from China, is hundreds of times stronger than fentanyl and is leaving thousands of victims in its wake.

The UK is now in the midst of a “drug-related crisis”, scientists declared, with nearly 300 nitazene-related deaths recorded between June 2023 and August 2024.

And in the US, 75,000 people have died in overdoses after taking synthetic opioids like nitazenes and fentanyl in the last year alone.

Scott is one of the tragic victims of this crisis, with the beloved brother dying in August 2022.

It was found the cocaine he took contained both fentanyl and a nitazene – two of the most deadly opioids.

His was the first confirmed case in Central Florida of an overdose involving nitazene.

Curtis who now lives in Virginia explained: “My brother was just getting out of the shower, took a line of what he thought was just cocaine, and hit the floor.”

“He thought he was taking cocaine. It was fentanyl and isotonitazene.

The presence of nitazenes in street drugs, vaping liquids, nasal sprays and fake prescription medications is “of most concern” Jared Brown, Scientific Affairs Officer for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime told The Sun.

Siblings Alex and Keeley from Essex lost their father to the drug in July 2023 while he was recovering from heroin addiction.

The unnamed 50-year-old had reduced his alcohol and drug consumption but one of the substances he had taken contained the deadly opioid, they told the BBC.

The pair who wanted to keep their real names hidden said that their father “was handed a death sentence as soon as he was sold [the drugs].”

“As soon as you’re anywhere near that substance, it’s lethal.”

The siblings were “unable to say a proper goodbye” to their father “because of the toxicity of the drugs,” Keeley added.

But it is not only heroin and cocaine users who are at risk.

Anne Jacques, a heartbroken mother, lost her son Alex to nitazene after he took a fake prescription pill.

She told the BBC in a separate interview that it was like losing “half of herself.”

Alex Harpum, 23, was found dead at his student flat on July 17, 2023, after taking a substance that was found to be contaminated with nitazene.

Phone records showed that the aspiring opera singer had tried to buy Xanax pills online, which are only available with a private prescription.

Jacques believes her son had been trying to aid his sleep which was interrupted due to his ADHD medication.

The use of such drugs in fake pills and vaping liquids is likely going to target younger people who are perhaps more trusting of online pharmacies and who have turned to vaping.

But the path out of the opioid crisis and in tackling the emergence of new, more lethal products remains complex and unclear especially as the threat of these new opiates is often not enough to scare addicts into going sober.

Chelsea Curtis

Scott unknowingly consumed nitazene and fentanyl which led to his death in 2022[/caption]

Facebook

Alex Harpum died in 2023 after buying fake medicine online[/caption]

DEA

A seizure of vapes filled with deadly opioids by the DEA[/caption]

“I’ve lost two brothers, and it lives with me every day,” Curtis said.

“There’s not a day that goes by where literally, I don’t think about them, or how I can work to end the stigma around addiction.”

She is now “dedicating every day of her life” to prosecuting drug dealers and getting help for addicts including her younger brother and sister-in-law.

Scott’s death is not the only heartbreaking loss the 35-year-old has suffered as a result of drugs.

She lost Scott’s twin brother Steven in August 2009 at the age of 30 from a heroin overdose and her stepfather from cirrhosis of the liver due to alcohol and drug use.

Curtis has also had to navigate the ongoing opiate addiction of her mother who has been using for more than 30 years while watching her younger brother Robert get hooked on drugs at just 12 years old.

Growing up in a household with parents “experimenting” with drugs “just kind of added fuel to the fire,” she said.

‘THEY DON’T CARE’

Despite the tragic family deaths and the emergence of highly potent and deadly substances laced with other drugs have not been enough to turn the tide on her surviving relatives’ addictions.

Relentless drug dealers have even targeted the family’s grief caused by their own products to turn a profit, Curtis sickeningly revealed.

She said: “We know the drug dealer that has given both [Scott and Steven] the drugs that killed them and he has been supplying my family for years.

“When Scott passed in 2022, the morning of his funeral, he was at my grandmother’s house, giving my little brother drugs.

“The guy knew that he killed my brother. He even made a comment to my little brother saying, ‘I know his funeral is today so this will just kind of like take the edge off,’ so they don’t care.”

She confronted Robert about using the same dealer whose nitazene-laced drugs killed Scott and the depths of his addiction and the tactics used by dealers were revealed.

“He was just always like, ‘Oh, well, he [the dealer] would look out for me,’ I think that when you’re just in the depths of addiction you don’t care,” Curtis recalled.

“And as far as the remorse on the dealer side. They don’t care about the people. They’re just there to make a profit. That’s their livelihood.”

Two months after Scott’s death, Curtis tried to save her younger brother from the same fate by relocating to Virginia and getting him into a treatment facility.

After 16 years of taking opiates, he is now in recovery and she has successfully got her sister-in-law in a treatment program but Curtis has guilt about Scott.

“Sometimes I think if I would have been able to get him help because had I been 2 months before maybe it would have been different,” she said.

chelsea curtis

Chelsea has dedicated her life to educating people on the dangers of opioids and the stigma associated with addiction[/caption]

Alamy

There are over 20 known types of nitazenes currently on the market (stock)[/caption]

‘TOO LATE’

As well as working in the narcotics unit, Curtis works with a community outreach programme aimed to educate children and young adults while fighting the stigma of addiction.

She and the team have visited middle schools with pupils as young as 11 but found often “it’s too late, the kids are already addicted to drugs.”

“It’s just sad all the way around. It’s almost like you can’t go to the grocery store, and run into somebody where addiction hasn’t touched them or their families,” she said.

Despite education on the deadly effects of nitazenes and other opioids, they are rising in use and being found in a variety of products.

BRACE FOR THE WORST

Toxicologists across the globe have warned of a sharp rise in deaths caused by Nitazenes over the past few years.

The Lancet declared that “the UK is in the midst of a drug-related crisis” as other officials said it is the most dangerous time to take drugs.

Between June 2023 and August 2024, 284 nitazene-related deaths were recorded in the UK, with officials warning that they are coming from China.

Since 2021, the US recorded 106,699 overdose deaths, with 88% of these being connected to synthetic opioids like fentanyl and nitazenes—75,000 of these deaths occurred last year alone.

While not yet as bad as what is being seen in the US, scientists say that “the creeping rise in nitazene-related deaths is likely the tip of the iceberg” as these new drugs are not routinely tested for.

The UK National Crime Agency has noted “a significant escalation in the criminal use of nitazenes as a cheap way to increase the strength of certain drugs, particularly heroin.”

The United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime told The Sun that the amount of different nitazenes they have so far detected “continues to increase” and currently sits at 22.

“This provides challenges for detection and how to deal with overdoses,” Brown said.

He added that “reports from across the world are increasing of such events which can lead to [overdose] outbreaks.”

Numerous countries have been warned about the rise in such drugs and told about the dangers and how they can take action to reduce overdose events.

But, the United Nations officer warned that officials across the globe must better prepare “for outbreaks of overdose events” due to these illicit drugs.

In the UK, guidance has been issued to councils about planning for a rise in synthetic opioids as the government prepares for the worst.

Getty

The deadly opioids have been dubbed ‘Frankenstein drugs’ due to their potency (stock)[/caption]