Police ask shops to stop selling 'drug' that sent 14 to hospital amid investigations

The police have launched an inquiry into unknown “drugs” that sent 14 young adults and children to hospital on Sunday.

The substances had been mainly found in Pretoria West‚ Pretoria Gardens‚ Daspoort and Hercules. “It is alleged that they buy these products over the counter at tobacco shops‚ tuck shops and adult shops‚ then mix it with cigarette tobacco or roll their own smokes‚” police spokesperson captain Augustina Selepe had said.

Speaking to TimesLIVE on Thursday‚ Selepe said the police had started visiting the shops that sell the drugs and have asked the owners to stop selling them.

“We have identified outlets around Pretoria and our teams have started visiting them to ask the owners to refrain from selling the drugs until the investigation is complete.”

Selepe said the investigation will be spread across Gauteng province. “We want to identify the drugs‚ find out what kind of drugs they are and how dangerous they are‚” she said.

Selepe said all those hospitalised after smoking the drug have been released.

BestCare emergency services spokesperson Xander Loubser said those who smoked the drugs had experienced a “rush” of symptoms including nausea‚ vomiting‚ hallucinations‚ hyperactivity and reduced level of consciousness.