Feb. 3 (UPI) — Tainted cocaine has killed at least 20 people in Argentina and dozens have been hospitalized, officials said Thursday.
Local government officials said the cocaine contained a suspected poisonous substance. The cases happened in Buenos Aires province.
Speaking to the Telefé TV channel, Buenos Aires Province Security Minister Segio Berni said the suspected poisonous substance was “a key ingredient attacking the central nervous system.”
About 10 people were arrested at a house in a poor neighborhood in the Tres de Febrero district where authorities believe the tainted cocaine was sold.
The cocaine is being analyzed in La Plata, the capital of Buenos Aires Province.
San Martin’s Attorney General Marcelo Lapargo is heading the investigation. He told C5N TV Thursday that he’s waiting for lab results to determine what substance was in the cocaine.
“It could be a conflict between rival gangs,” Lapargo told C5N. “I don’t tend to believe that it was something unintentional … I’m extremely concerned for people who still have this in their pockets and may still consume it.”