A SAMPLE of what was believed to be a dangerous and addictive new drug known as "pink cocaine" was identified in the Rhyl area.

As first reported by ITV News, pink cocaine, also known as “tuci” or “tucibi”, has been more commonly found in Ibiza, and is usually a mixture of numerous drugs, primarily ketamine and MDMA.

Despite its name, it hardly contains any cocaine, if at all, while caffeine, speed, and fentanyl (a highly addictive opiod, often used as a painkiller) have also been found in samples of the drug previously.

In total, the Welsh Emerging Drugs and Identification of Novel Substances (WEDINOS) has found 37 samples of it in the UK in the last four years.

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The Rhyl sample was submitted to WEDINOS on July 11 – it had been purchased as 2C-B, a synthetic psychedelic drug, but was found not to actually contain any 2C-B.

A spokesperson for WEDINOS said: "We can confirm that a sample of a drug submitted from the Rhyl area of North Wales, purchased as 2C-B, a synthetic psychedelic drug, was analysed and found to contain ketamine and MDMA.

“This combination of ingredients is often described as: pink cocaine, tuci or tucibi. The sample did not contain any 2C-B.

“This finding highlights the dangers of the drug trade, where users often receive substances that are different from what they intended to purchase, increasing the risk of adverse effects and harms."

WEDINOS is the only publicly available drug-testing service in the UK.

Of the 37 samples of the drug it has found, nine were referred to as pink cocaine, 22 as tuci, and six as tucibi.

It was first discovered in the UK in March 2020, and has stimulant and hallucinogenic properties, unlike “traditional” cocaine, which has purely stimulant effects.

Short-term psychological effects include euphoria, increased alertness, and enhanced sensory perception.

Its long-term psychological effects can include persistent anxiety, depression, cognitive impairments, and an increased risk of psychosis.

The drug is also believed to have a high addictive potential.