Synthetic nitazene opioids sold online reach Bosnia and neighboring Balkans

Investigative journalists posing as buyers in April 2026 documented a network that sells nitazene‑type synthetic opioids—substances up to 40 times stronger than fentanyl and 500 times stronger than heroin—through apps such as Telegram and WhatsApp. Sellers promise delivery to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia and Montenegro using standard international courier services, with shipments arriving within days.

Bosnian officials warned that the ease of ordering “with one click” creates a new challenge for police, customs and health services. Amer Mulić of Sarajevo’s drug‑control unit said heroin use has declined, but addicts lacking legal opioid therapy may turn to nitazenes, which can be fatal even to experienced users. Rasema Okić, director of the Sarajevo addiction institute, noted that users often cannot identify the drug they receive, and that nitazenes have already caused 333 deaths across Europe in 2024, especially in the United Kingdom, Estonia and Lithuania. Montenegro’s police reported no domestic cases yet but have intercepted suspicious parcels from China in cooperation with international partners.

The investigation highlights the rapid emergence of ultra‑potent synthetic opioids in the Western Balkans and the urgent need for coordinated law‑enforcement and public‑health responses.