Legal highs are sent for testing after police raid on Larne shop

The products, taken from the premises at Dunluce Street last Thursday afternoon, are to be tested to establish whether they fall under the scope of Misuse of Drugs Act.

The search and seizure follows an incident earlier that morning when three people were taken to hospital after they were believed to have taken alcohol together with a quantity of legal highs.

The trio – a 21-year-old man, 19-year-old man and a woman believed to be in her 20s – were found in unconscious and semi-conscious states in the Green Drive area of Larne in the early hours of Thursday morning.

All three were discharged fro Antrim Area Hospital the following day, the Northern Health Trust confirmed.

PSNI Area Commander, Chief Insp Catherine Magee, said of the raid: “Police seized these products to establish whether they contain substances prohibited under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

“The testing is part of an ongoing investigation concerned with three people falling ill earlier this week.

“I understand that the sale and use of legal highs is an issue of community concern in Larne.

“Police continue to work with residents, the local council and health authorities to ensure that anything which could compromise the safety of the public is taken off the streets. However, unless a product is illegal, police cannot prevent its sale.

“The bottom line is that health professionals suspect that so-called legal highs contain dangerous substances which are harmful to health. There is always a risk in taking a mind-altering substance, legal or illegal.”

East Antrim MLA Oliver McMullan said Larne had become a “dumping ground” for legal highs.

The Sinn Fein representative added: “People are flocking from Belfast and further afield to Larne to buy these legal highs.

“There is a forgotten generation of young people who are caught in the grip of these substances and I am glad we are finally seeing police cracking down on this.”

Larne DUP Councillor Gregg McKeen told the Times: “I welcome the fact that action is being taken against the scourge of legal highs, and I would urge police not to take their foot off the gas on this issue.

“Three people ended up in hospital this time, but there could potentially be a much worse outcome next time this happens.”

Following the raid on Northern Lights hydroponics shop on Dunluce Street, a warning was daubed on the shutter of the premises stating: “Do not open or else.”

It is thought the graffiti was sprayed late on Sunday night or in the early hours of Monday morning

The shop opened as normal on Monday, and police said they received no complaints regarding the graffiti.

The recent raid on the Northern Lights is the second time legal highs have been seized from the premises in as many months.

In May. staff from Larne Borough Council, accompanied by police officers, carried out an inspection of the Dunluce Street shop.

It is understood that over 300 sachets of legal high substances were removed from sale at the premises.

And the local authority now intends to destroy the seized substances.

At the latest meeting of the council’s environment committee, members were given an update – behind closed doors – regarding the seized substances.

Minutes of the confidential discussion state: “Officers from the environmental health service, supported by the PSNI, removed a quantity of legal highs from the store.

“These had been voluntarily surrendered, with a caveat that the owner of the business would provide correspondance to council to prove that they were safe.

“The date given for receipt of that correspondance has now passed and the intention is to move to destroy the products appropriately.”

Director of Environmental Servicesm Philip Thompson also told elected representatives: “The Sale of Drugs Act is not the right instrument to deal with legal highs, as chemical compounds can be modified to bring products outside its control.”

He said a new legislative process was needed to tackle the problem, adding that such an approach had been taken in the Republic of Ireland and had been “largely successful in removing the trade”.

In the meantime, Mr Thompson said the council would “continue to focus on the issue, liase with the PSNI and seek their support to deal with the matter”.

Legal highs have been blamed for a number of deaths across the UK in recent years.