News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Police are hunting drug dealers selling a rogue batch of ‘Superman’ ecstasy pills which are believed to have killed three young men.

The victims, all aged in their 20s, fell ill after taking the drugs on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

A fourth man was rushed to hospital in a critical condition today but is expected to survive.

Detectives say at least three of the men were given a red, triangular pill branded with a Superman ‘S’ symbol.

All of the victims live in the Ipswich area of Suffolk but there are fears the drugs could have been sold nationwide.

Chief Inspector Steve Denham said: “It’s too soon to definitively link the cases but we believe that three of the young men who have been involved in these incidents have taken a tablet that we believe is ecstasy.

“And three of them describe a red, triangular pill with a Superman ‘S’ symbol embossed on the front.

“I would urge anybody who has pills that fit that description not to take them and to hand them in to police.

“Anyone who has information about the supply or sale about ecstasy in the Ipswich area please come forward and contact police.

“Taking drugs is linked to a great deal of harm and risk and it is not uncommon for people to suffer injury and even death from taking them.

“But it's pretty unusual to have so many tragic incidents in such a short space of time.”

The first suspected ecstasy death occurred on Christmas Eve when a man in his 20s died in Ipswich, Suffolk.

And at 7.10am this morning police were called to reports that a man in his 20s had been found seriously unwell.

He received treatment at the scene but was pronounced dead.

At 9.40am two men were reported as having suffered heart attacks at an address in Ipswich.

One man, believed to be in his 20s, was pronounced dead at the scene while the other was taken to hospital in a critical condition.

Chf Ins Denham revealed today that the man is “doing better” but there is still “lots of concern for his welfare.”

Similar triangular drugs embossed with the Superman logo have also been sold in the Netherlands.

The Trimbos Institute in Uterecht described them as containing “a very high dose of the dangerous substance PMMA”.

They said that pills containing PMMA can take a lot longer to feel the effects, which means the user may think they need to take more or re-dose.

Hours after taking the pill severe physical symptoms may occur such as increased heart rate and extremely high body temperature which could prove fatal.

A spokesman for the DrugScope charity said that there has been an increase in the number of ecstasy-related deaths in the past five years.

He said: “There are two types of this drug. One which is just normal ecstasy and another which has PMA in it which is more dangerous.

“These deaths could just be a normal batch of ecstasy but until there is proper forensic testing then you don’t really know.

“Since about 2009 there has been an increase in ecstasy-related deaths and that is not necessarily due to more people taking it.

“You can’t tell the dosage or content of a pill just by looking at it.

"People have to be extra vigilant with street drugs because you never know what you’re taking.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.