A warning has been issued after a batch of ‘Punisher’ ecstasy pills in Manchester were found to be up to five times stronger than the normal dose.
The pills were found at ‘multiple’ nightlife venues across Greater Manchester.
Scientists have warned that the drugs, which contain up to 477mg of MDMA per tablet, will ‘increase risk of death’.
The ‘Punisher’ pills are thicker in appearance than normal ecstasy pills, and contain between four and five times more MDMA.
They are embossed with the skull of Marvel anti-hero The Punisher.
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WARNING! 12/11/2021. Multiple Blue “Punisher” embossed “thicker” tablets (LHS) confirmed by @MANDRAKE_LAB, to contain #MDMA (397 – 477 mg/tab) = to 4-5x the common oral dose. Even ½ of these pills is v. high dose. High dose will not increase effect but increases risk of death. pic.twitter.com/23fThTN4XW
Researchers from MANDRAKE (Manchester Drug Analysis and Knowledge Exchange), based at Manchester Metropolitan University, posted the warning over the weekend.
They wrote: “WARNING! 12/11/2021. Multiple Blue “Punisher” embossed “thicker” tablets (LHS) confirmed by @MANDRAKE_LAB, to contain #MDMA (397 – 477 mg/tab) = to 4-5x the common oral dose. Even ½ of these pills is v. high dose. High dose will not increase effect but increases risk of death.”
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MANDRAKE has been partnering with Greater Manchester Police to ‘understand the progression of psychoactive substances that are in circulation on the illegal drugs market’.
People have been warned about the ‘Punisher’ ecstasy pills. Credit: Unsplash
The huge club venue at Depot Mayfield also works with W.E.L.Safe to provide confidential and non-judgemental advice on drugs, alcohol and other issues.
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Speaking to Vice, Fiona Measham, director at drug testing NGO The Loop, said: “It’s likely to be amongst the highest in the world.”
She added that she expects the super-strength, thicker pills were made by mistake.
She said: “The customer doesn’t usually know the strength of ecstasy pills bought on illicit markets and reagent tests can’t help with that. So their life is in danger because of the absence of one simple fact: the MDMA content of the pill they bought.
“If a customer uses a drug checking service and finds out the strength of a pill is 477mg, then they can simply divide it into quarters and they have 4 average adult doses of MDMA, with no more risk than any other 120 mg pill.
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“Knowledge is power, but lack of information on strength can transform a pill from benign to deadly.”
Speaking back in July, when nightclubs reopened, MANDRAKE’s director Dr Oliver Sutcliffe said: “Our team of scientists are extremely proud to be both a key part of the Greater Manchester Drugs Early Warning System and the GMP night time economy plan as COVID restrictions are lifted.
“We hope that our laboratory, which will be working closely with partner organisations in all ten Greater Manchester boroughs, will be able to rapidly provide robust data to help improve drug awareness amongst our communities, and enhance and inform harm reduction schemes across the city region.”
Featured Image: Unsplash / MANDRAKE
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Manchester set for its busiest weekend of the year with pop-up Park and Rides to open
Emily Sergeant
Pop-up Park and Ride facilities are set to open as Manchester prepares for what’s expected to be its busiest weekend of the year.
The festive season in the run up to Christmas always sees more people flock to the city centre than usual, but this weekend will likely be even busier than expected, as not only are Manchester Christmas Markets still in full swing, but there are also a number of gigs, live festive shows, and major sporting events coinciding with this.
So in a weekend that sees legends gigging and the Manchester Derby take place, as you would expect, thousands are predicted to flock to Manchester city centre and Etihad Campus.
Manchester Christmas Markets are in full swing and Paul McCartney will be at Co-op Live this weekend / Credit: The Manc Group | Wikimedia Commons
Because of this, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is taking action and encouraging people to dodge the likely congestion and use public transport instead where possible – with pop-up Park and Rides set to be introduced for weekend shoppers and fun-seekers who do want or need to drive.
On Saturday and Sunday, Booth Street West Car Park D (M15 6PD) – which will have 965 parking spaces available – will be free for customers travelling to the city centre by bus, and then again on Sunday, the same car park will be free for those attending Paul McCartney at Co-op Live.
Your ticket to the gig must be shown on entry, before a dedicated shuttle bus then takes you from the car park to the Etihad Campus.
Disney On Ice will be hosting four shows at AO Arena this weekend / Credit: Supplied
Shuttle buses – which are only available on the Sunday – will depart from Higher Cambridge Street and run to Co-op Live and back every 15 mins from 4pm until midnight.
Emirates Old Trafford cricket ground (Talbot Road, Stretford, M16 0PX) will also have 500 parking spaces available for Metrolink customers on Sunday, but you must show a valid pre-booked tram ticket to park there.
On Sunday [15 Dec], we’re offering free parking at Emirates Old Trafford to help relieve congestion in the city.
The Park and Ride is available to customers with a valid tram ticket purchased on the app, at a ticket machine or via contactless.
Anyone else planning to drive across the weekend may also want to consider using one of the permanent Park and Ride sites and complete their journey on foot or by public transport, and you can find more information and the locations of these sites on the Bee Network website here.
Tram capacity has been increased for the festive season, with every available tram running until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.
The V1 and 36 bus services now also run 24 hours a day.
Other late-running buses on the Bee Network from Manchester include the 43 service to Manchester Airport, the 86 to Sale, and the 142 to East Didsbury.
Body found in search for missing Stockport postman Steven Caulfield
Emily Sergeant
A body has been found in the search for a 70-year-old former postman from Stockport who went missing a couple of months ago.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) issued a public appeal after to help find Steven Caulfield, who was last seen in the vicinity of the golf course next to Middlewood Way, in the Marple area of Stockport, at around 4pm Tuesday 1 October, after he failed to return home from a walk.
Since Steven was reported missing, an extensive missing person investigation was launched by Stockport detectives, alongside a widespread search by specialist GMP officers, and a number of missing appeals were also published on social media and shared widely – not just in Greater Manchester, but all across the UK.
#UPDATE | At around 12pm today (Wednesday 11th December 2024), an officer sadly located a body in woodland near to Middlewood Way in Stockport.
At this time, we believe this is likely to be Steven Caulfield who went missing on Tuesday 1 October.
But sadly, at around 12pm yesterday (Wednesday 11 December 2024), a GMP officer has sadly located a body in a woodland area near to Middlewood Way in Stockport, and at this time, police believe this is likely to be the body of Steven Caulfield.
Steven’s next of kin have been made aware and are currently being supported by officers.
There are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding Steven’s death, according to GMP.
Speaking on the discovery of the body, Chief Superintendent Lewis Hughes, Stockport District Commander and GMP lead for Disaster Victim Identification, said: “Our deepest condolences remain with Steven’s family and friends, who have been devastated by this traumatic news, we have officers supporting them through this difficult time.
“It has been a challenging couple of months since the missing report came to us in GMP and our Tactical Aid Unit, Specialist Search, Canine and Underwater Units were all utilised to search for Steven in challenging conditions and locations around the Middlewood Way.
“We hope today’s discovery provides some answers for Steven’s loved ones.”
Daisy Jackson -
17th November 2021 
