Highly toxic drug on sale in Scotland, police warn

A "HIGHLY toxic" class-A drug is being sold in Scotland, police have warned.

The drug, called ParaMethoxyMethylAmphetamine, or PMMA, has been found in tablets that look like ecstasy, as well as in some so-called legal highs.

The Association of Chief Police Officers Scotland said it had established, after a series of raids, that the drug was being sold north of the Border.

PMMA has been found in pink tablets with a Rolex Crown logo and white tablets with a four-leaf clover logo, as well as in some products claiming to be legal highs. It has also been recovered as a powder.

Det Insp Tommy Crombie, of the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency said: "PMMA is similar to ecstasy but not as potent. Users may believe they have taken a weak ecstasy tablet when they have actually taken a tablet containing this highly toxic substance. They may then be tempted to take more tablets, increasing the risk of a potentially fatal overdose."