HEALTH SEC WARNS ON ONLINE PILLS TRADE

SOARING numbers of people are getting hooked on painkillers and sleeping pills... and online cowboys are fuelling the boom.

- BY GEMMA ALDRIDGE

An investigation by this newspaper reveals a host of deadly prescription-only tablets available for the price of a can of fizzy drink.

And a drug charity's call for a crackdown on illegal sellers is being backed by Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who warns that Britain is a nation in danger of “sleepwalking into addiction”.

Support group WithYou says the number of prescription drug addicts it helps has doubled in five years. Celebrities who have become hooked include England footballer Dele Alli and EastEnders star Danny Dyer.

Alli, 29, told how a doctor initially prescribed him zopiclone, known as Z, for insomnia but he ended up sourcing them “from outside the game” as his addiction worsened and he spent six weeks in rehab.

Dyer, 47, opened up on Desert Island Discs about being “off his nut” on Valium while on EastEnders.

Neither star revealed how they sourced their pills but for many this means clicking on websites which are tapping into the addiction market and selling prescription drugs with no medical supervision.

Our investigation found highly addictive pills available online for as little as £1.29 a pill. They were delivered to our door in 24 hours via tracked Royal Mail delivery with no prescription, ID, age checks or health advice.

Some sellers use encrypted messaging to cover their tracks. One even pretends to be an online fashion store to put authorities off the scent.

One site bragged: “We are dedicated to enhancing your wellbeing by providing trusted solutions for sleep disorders, anxiety, and pain management.” It even claimed to “empower individuals to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives”.

Counterfeit

Within minutes we could order Valium, zopiclone, nitrazepam known as moggies and opioids like codeine and tramadol.

One site says it ships from inside the UK and guarantees next-day delivery.