A Manchester man has been sentenced to almost eight years in prison for a slew of illicit drugs, including a newly illegal “zombie” drug known as spice. In February 2017, police raided the home of Anthony Hunt, 34, in Moston, Manchester. Inside the home, British police uncovered a treasure trove of various illicit drugs, including over $45,000 worth of spice, a substance that was made illegal in Britain last year and has increasingly caused public health issues.
On Thursday, Anthony Hunt, 34, was sentenced to seven years and nine months after he plead guilty to possession with intent to supply heroin, cocaine, Spice and cannabis. Back in February, officers found £45,000 worth of Spice, £2,500 worth of cannabis, and £8,000 worth of amphetamine.
The investigation into Hunt’s illicit drug trades traces back to November 27, 2016, when police attended the scene of a crash in Staffordshire. Officers spotted an abandoned Ford Transit van. Upon searching the vehicle, police discovered a supply of drugs and two mobile phones. Both mobile devices received forensics analysis, and the fingerprints of Anthony Hunt and his alleged associate John O’Brien was discovered on the phones.
Police soon caught up with O’Brien and found him to be in possession of of £7,500 worth of heroin and cocaine and a large amount of cash. He has been charged with a three-year suspended sentence for his crimes.
Some British doctors are now calling “spice” more dangerous than cocaine and heroin.
What is Spice?
Spice is a psychoactive drug that is commonly known as synthetic marijuana. The substance is made up of several related chemical concoctions known as synthetic cannabinoids, which work to mimic the effects of cannabis. This chemical is sprayed on dry plants and ingested through smoke.
This drug is very popular among the homeless for it’s cheap cost. A day’s supply is as little £5 in Great Britain.
Spice-related deaths has more than tripled from 2015 to 2016 in the UK. Last year, 27 people died of the drug compared to eight people who passed away from Spice in the United Kingdom.
Police calls relating to spice use is on the rise, as officers in some English cities claim that they receive as many as six calls a day relating to the drug. They say that some people who are high on spice stagger around the streets before reverting to a nearly comatose state, as if they’re a zombie.
Doctors are condemning the drug and warning the public against the potential side effects. They say that spice is crippling health services, with more people coming in for treatment suffering the effects of spice. Doctors say that an increasing amount of people are being admitted for spice use, and are coming in hallucinations, seizures and symptoms of schizophrenia.
In May 2016, the United Kingdom banned the possession, distribution and manufacture of spice. The maximum sentence for a spice-related crime is seven years in prison.
