The ‘world’s strongest’ pill has been seized in a Manchester nightclub

The “world’s strongest” ecstasy pill has been found in a nightclub in Manchester It’s believed to contain around five times the usual dose, and could potentially cause serious harm.

Dubbed the ‘Blue Punisher’, the pill was tested twice by MANDRAKE drug analysis lab at Manchester Metropolitan University, and was found to contain 477mg of MDMA. 125mg is considered a high dose of MDMA, which is also sold in powder and crystal forms.

Blue Punisher pills are known to be stronger than others, and are identifiable by an embossed skull logo of Marvel character, The Punisher, as well as their distinctive colour. MANDRAKE put out a warning on Twitter to alert people of their circulation: “Multiple blue ‘Punisher’ embossed ‘thicker’ tablets confirmed to contain MDMA (397-477mg/tab) = 4-5x the common oral dose. Even one half of these pills is v high dose. High dose will not increase effect but increases risk of death.”

The lab also confirmed that the Punisher pill – which was tested as part of a batch confiscated by bouncers at a Manchester night club – was significantly heavier than other pills normally found on the market, weighing in at 650mg.

According to VICE, the pill is likely to be the strongest ecstasy tablet on record, after multiple testing experts told the publication they’d never seen anything stronger. A spokesperson for rugsdata.org, a US-based drug analysis lab which has tested thousands of ecstasy pills from around the world, told the publication that it was “stronger than any pill” they had recorded.

Similarly, drug analyst Guy Jones from Reagent Tests UK said: “This is a new world record. Impossible to rule out that a stronger one has ever been made, but the number of pills over 400mg with a public test result could be counted on one hand.”

In recent months, experts have observed a shortage of MDMA in the UK, thanks to demand dipping during the pandemic and Brexit-related supply line disruptions. Because of this, fake MDMA has been circulating across the country at clubs and festivals, including in Manchester. Dangerously strong pills have also been in circulation, with a batch of blue ‘Tesla’ pills leaving two people dead and 22 hospitalised in Bristol and London.

If you’re partying up north – or anywhere in the UK – any time soon, beware the ‘Blue Punisher’ pills. Always start with a low dosage, look out for yourself and your friends, and, if you can, test your drugs beforehand. In the meantime, you can head to The Loop for more information about drug safety and testing.