Three people died in drug-related incidents in the north-west of Northern Ireland last weekend, a court has heard.
Londonderry Magistrates’ Court also heard that five people had suffered drug-related cardiac arrests in recent days.
The comments were made as a 36-year-old woman appeared in court on Tuesday charged with a number of drug offences.
The woman, who was granted anonymity, has been remanded in custody.
The Public Health Agency (PHA) said it is aware of “three potential drug-related fatalities” in the Derry and Strabane area “where it is suspected that pregabalin and polydrug use occurred”.
In a statement, the PHA warned people against taking any substance that has not been prescribed by a medical professional.
Pregabalin is normally used to treat epilepsy and anxiety, according to the NHS.
‘Four times stronger’
In court on Tuesday, a police officer told the court that officers were called to an address where a 20-year-old man was in cardiac arrest. He later died.
Officers discovered a packet containing the pregabalin at the scene, where a number of tablets were missing.
A friend of the deceased linked a woman to the supply of the drug, the court heard.
Police attended the woman’s home and found 76 pregabalin tablets, which matched those found on the deceased, and a sum of cash.
The woman denied knowing the man who died, or his friend.
The officer told the court there was still six missing blister packs of the drug.
These tablets were “four times stronger” than normal, he said.
Police opposed bail due to the risk of re-offending and concerns the woman could be a risk from “criminal elements”.
The woman will appear in court again on 7 September.
A defence solicitor said his client accepted this incident was in “a very, very serious context”.
He said the woman had “freely and openly” provided police with the PIN for her phone which could provide police “with a treasure trove of information”.
District judge Barney McElholm said that people were manufacturing new variants of drugs “with grossly evil intent”.
Refusing bail, he said anyone involved in the drug supply chain would be “met with the full force of the law”.
In a statement to BBC News NI, the police have said they are investigating three deaths that occurred in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area over the weekend.
They said that enquiries are ongoing and there is no further information at this time.
