Following the death of a 20-year-old man due to a suspected drug overdose, police are urging people to take extreme care when using illicit drugs or substances.
Several pills of MDMA. File photo. Photo: 123RF
In a statement, Detective Senior Sergeant Malcolm Inglis said police were investigating the sudden death of a 20-year-old man in Christchurch in the early hours of Sunday 4 September.
Enquiries were underway into the cause of death but early indications showed the death may have been related to a potential drug overdose.
A male and female, both aged 33, were arrested and charged with possession for supply of a Class B drug.
The pair is expected to appear in Christchurch District Court tomorrow.
Inglis said police would not rule out filing more serious charges.
Two other serious drug-related incidents were also reported in Queenstown over the weekend.
"Police have been made aware of security guards in Queenstown over the weekend assisting two people who had seizures after reportedly taking MDMA.
"They didn't require medical treatment, but these incidents could have ended very differently."
With the Snow Machine music festival taking place in Queenstown from tomorrow until Sunday, Inglis said the warning had been issued to ensure other recreational drug users avoided becoming "sick or worse".
"The best thing people can do to prevent any risk, is not to take illicit drugs.
"Police strongly recommend people take extreme care as what they think they may taking may in fact be a completely different drug or substance," Inglis said.
Police urged anyone experiencing concerning or unexpected effects after taking an illicit substance to anonymously report it to New Zealand's drug early warning system High Alert.