At least 22 people died and 80 were hospitalized, in the suburbs of Buenos Aires, after massive intoxication, due to adulterated cocaine.
The victims of this adulterated drug would have suffered violent convulsions and sudden cardiac arrests.
In addition, 214 Argentineans consulted, mostly mild cases with symptoms of “altered consciousness, vomiting, malaise and headaches”.
Call from the Minister of Health
The authorities had in the afternoon of Wednesday launched an urgent appeal through the media. “Those who bought drugs in the last 24 hours should throw them away,” said Buenos Aires provincial security minister Sergio Berni.
Authorities are “trying to locate the toxic substance to remove it from circulation”, he added.
A “great tragedy” averted
Police operations were carried out in the underprivileged suburbs, holding in places of the slum, of Loma Hermosa, northwest of the capital, and a dozen people were arrested. Sachets of cocaine were seized there in premises similar to those identified by relatives of victims. The cut drug was being analyzed in a laboratory in La Plata.
Thursday evening, the authorities claimed to have avoided “a great tragedy” thanks to the recovery of large quantities, and explained: “In principle, we have stabilized the situation”.