A looming gap in the opiate market is being filled by synthetic drugs such as nitazenes; a drug that experts and charities warn is causing unaccounted deaths in the capital.

Almost non-existent post-mortem testing for these drugs, alongside severely backlogged coroner services means that the number of nitazene-related deaths could be far more widespread than currently recognised.

Nitazenes are not typically tested for in post-mortem examinations.

Caroline Copeland, Director of the National Pr