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Killer ecstasy pills are being mixed with bleach and heroin as ruthless dealers try to cash in after Garda stings, we can reveal.

The rogue suppliers are attempting to claw back profits after repeatedly having shipments seized at ports around the country – so dealers are cutting tablets with whatever they can.

Many of the thugs are even adding heroin to their supply to get users hooked on their own “brand”.

The worrying development comes less than a week after Ana Hick died after taking ecstasy on a night out.

A decade ago, the drug had a lot higher purity than the substances found on the streets and in clubs and bars today.

Ana, 18, died a day after collapsing outside the Twister Pepper nightclub in Dublin last Saturday.

A higher purity of methamphetamines in a pill means a lower chance of adverse effects, according to experts.

But those who have underlying medical conditions will always be susceptible to heart attacks and other unwanted side effects of drug taking.

Meanwhile, dealers are becoming more savvy in the way they package products and resorted to adding more poison to pills to turn a bigger profit.

A source told the Irish Sunday Mirror: “The reason pills have changed over the years is part of a chain reaction.

“Lads that are going to be bringing stuff through the port are probably going to lose a quantity of what they are importing.

“Their solution is to be mix other cheap adulterants and try to pass it off as a pure ecstasy pill. Pills back about 10 years ago or so were nearly pure levels of MDMA.

“There was a high demand for it, they were what I would call safe pills. When people overdose it is generally due to the adulterant – speed, cocaine and sometimes even heroin and bleach.”

It is understood Ana took pills believed to be a yellow grenade, a pink superman and a blue ghost.

One user who contacted the Irish Sunday Mirror told of the chilling effects of pills which he took on a night out two weeks ago.

He said: “Like a lot of people I was under the impression a pill of ecstasy is 100% safe if you know who you’re buying them off. I took the first one and the come-up was quicker than usual.

“I presumed maybe there was just a higher level of speed in them because of the pills they were and that all was normal. I couldn’t keep still.

“I put on music and had a dance to burn the excess energy.

“From there I was getting cold sweats. I rubbed my forehead. My skin was so dry, a big puddle of sweat fell on my hand from when I rubbed my head.

“I drank some water to try control the temperature changes. One minute it felt like I was sunbathing in Spain, the next I felt like I fell in ice-cold water.”

(Image: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin)

He also started suffering with his breathing and was taken to hospital.

He added: “My breathing was quite laboured and shallow. I was a short walk from Tallaght Hospital so a couple of friends helped me walk down because there was no need for an ambulance.

“Apparently, people with asthma or diabetes are hit worse by ecstasy.

“I did an ECG, urine drug test and was kept on 15-minute observation.

“Next morning I met with the A&E consultant who is also a surgeon in emergency medicine.

“She handed me my ECG report. She explained it wasn’t good. I was at such a risk of a heart attack and/or stroke, which either would have killed me or have left me as a paraplegic.”

Many concerned drug takers log on to a website called pillreport.net where users can chart their experiences.

Ecstasy test kits can also be bought which tell you what your pill contains.

The user added: “I also cannot stress enough for people to use pillreports.net. Although its not 100% reliable it has the potential to save lives.”