Tejal Somvanshi
A 20-year-old Sydney man has become the first person in Australia charged with selling vapes laced with dangerous synthetic opioids that experts warn can be hundreds of times more potent than heroin.
Sam Al Roubaye was arrested after police raided his Revesby home, seizing 2.1 kilograms of nitazene, two imitation firearms, an electrical weapon, and more than $7,000 in cash. Police allege he ran a “sophisticated” distribution network since March, marketing the vape liquid as “supercharged.”
Drug and Firearms Squad commander Detective Superintendent John Watson called the case a “disturbing evolution in the illicit drug trade,” revealing that over 1,200 transactions occurred during a five-month period, with approximately $500,000 exchanged.
“By lacing vape liquid with these synthetic opioids, suppliers are deliberately creating dependency, hooking users to ensure repeat business,” Watson said. “It’s calculated, dangerous, and entirely profit-driven.”
Nitazenes represent a particularly deadly threat in the drug landscape. Originally developed in the 1950s as potential pain medications but never approved for medical use, these synthetic opioids can be up to 500 times more potent than heroin and 28 times stronger than fentanyl.
The business operated exclusively through social media in what police described as a “faceless and contactless” operation. Buyers used cryptocurrency for purchases, with supplies dropped at predetermined locations. Videos were then sent to buyers indicating where to collect their products.
Similar Posts
“There is no question in my mind that buyers potentially would not have even realized that they are taking nitazene,” Watson explained. “That makes it much more dangerous, as these people have been using a synthetic opioid for months and potentially have become addicted.”
NSW Health’s chief addiction medicine specialist, Dr. Hester Wilson, warned about the extreme dangers of synthetic opioids and urged recreational drug users to carry naloxone, a medication that can reverse opioid overdoses.
“Opioid overdose symptoms can include pinpoint pupils, drowsiness, loss of consciousness, slow breathing or snoring, or skin turning blue or grey,” Wilson said.
The arrest comes as NSW prepares to introduce tougher penalties for selling illegal tobacco and vapes. Premier Chris Minns announced that health inspectors will receive expanded powers to close premises found breaching the new rules.
The use of nitazenes in Australia has been growing steadily, with NSW Health issuing a public warning last year after a cluster of drug overdoses linked to synthetic opioids in the Nepean Blue Mountains area. Users often unknowingly consume nitazenes, which are illegally sold as or mixed into various recreational drugs.
Globally, nitazenes have been linked to more than 200 deaths in North America and Europe between 2019 and 2023. With seven new nitazene variants emerging in 2023 alone according to UN data, experts are calling for coordinated international responses to this growing threat.
Al Roubaye was refused bail at Parramatta local court on a commercial drug supply charge. People concerned about vape products they have used are advised to stop immediately, seek medical advice, and report suspicious products to Crime Stoppers.
