Philip A. Berry

I'm pleased to share my take for The Conversation about nitazene supply & use in the UK & EU. It details the actors currently behind the trade, how the UK government has responded & offers some tentative conclusions about how this may develop in the future theconversation.com/there-has-neve…

A key part of Starmer’s security agreement with China focuses on strengthening cooperation in combating #synthetic #opioids. The inclusion of SO shows the government is prioritising this issue. However the impact of this cooperation remains to be seen gov.uk/government/new…

Nitazenes are as dangerous as fentanyl and linked to more than 750 deaths in the UK alone since 2023. Further international cooperation with China will help, as long as geopolitics doesn’t interfere, writes @PABerry_ (of @warstudies). ⬇️ chathamhouse.org/publications/t…

@TSBurkhardt Thank you for your insightful, balanced and nuanced analysis.

another useless article on #nitazenes framed from a geopolitical perspective it sucks but accurately notes the gap in forensic toxicology means theres a lotta secret corpses here waiting for the next drug panic fentanyl is getting boring anyways (claimed efficacy citation needed)

Dr Philip Berry (@PABerry_) examines the rise of #nitazenes, a deadly class of #syntheticopioids causing 750+ UK deaths since 2023, and explores how the UK, its Five Eyes allies & China can respond through cooperation, law enforcement and public health. 🔗bit.ly/493e5VX

The UK Drug Early Warning System shows there were 524 #synthetic #opioids deaths (mostly #nitazenes) in England between Jun 2023-Sep 2025. These deaths have “dropped significantly” - from 342 in the year to Sept 2024 to 108 in the year to Sept 2025. ndtms.net/DrugsEarlyWarn…

📢Our winter issue is here!❄️ Explore stories on how the West can keep pace with China’s tech revolution, what the world might look like in 2026, Haiti’s deepening crisis, why we need a climate dashboard, and much more. 🇨🇳🌎🇭🇹 Read now > chathamhouse.org/publications/t…

It’s significant –but unsurprising–that the UK has stopped intel sharing w/ the US, after the drug boat strikes in the Caribbean. A similar event occurred in 2017 when the UK prevented JNAC providing the US with intel to bomb drug labs in Afghanistan cnn.com/2025/11/11/pol…

From the 1980s to the present, “narco-terrorism” has been invoked to justify hyper-militarized policies that consistently prove ineffective in stemming drugs and violence alike, @PABerry_ writes. foreignpolicy.com/2025/11/07/nar…

Conflating the many, tangled relationships between terror and trafficking under the single heading of “narco-terrorism” is a recipe for bad policy, writes @PABerry_. foreignpolicy.com/2025/11/07/nar…

Following the controversial and likely unlawful actions taken by the Trump administration in the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean against suspected drug-running boats, I'm pleased to share my take on the history of ‘narco-terrorism’ for @ForeignPolicy foreignpolicy.com/2025/11/07/nar…

💭🖊️ The World Politics Review shares Philip Berry's opinion piece: ‘Ecuador’s Cocaine Trafficking Crisis Is a Problem for the U.K., Too,’ exploring what challenge this major hub in the global cocaine trade poses to the UK 👇 🔗 bit.ly/4maPbZt @WPReview @PABerry_

I’m delighted to share my take for @WPReview about the UK’s counter-narcotics support to Ecuador. The article highlights the scale of the drug problem in Ecuador and provides historical context about the UK’s anti-drug assistance to the country. worldpoliticsreview.com/uk-ecuador-cri…

There were at least 333 drug-related deaths involving #nitazenes in the UK in 2024. This compares to 342 synthetic opioid, including #fentanyl, deaths in Germany in the same year. bundesdrogenbeauftragter.de/presse/detail/…

In 2024, there were 2,137 drug-related deaths in Germany, 90 cases fewer than the previous year. ‘#Synthetic #opioids such as #fentanyl [has] been found in…342 cases, approximately 16 percent’. bundesdrogenbeauftragter.de/presse/detail/…

Russia is the first country to recognise the Taliban regime. Will other repressive states follow suit? bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

Doha to Host Meeting on Afghanistan’s Economy, Counter-Narcotics Efforts | TOLOnews shar.es/agxsH6

A massive 3,600 kilograms of #cocaine, worth £76 million, was concealed within bananas and transited the port of Southampton en route to Hamburg. dailyecho.co.uk/news/25253457.…

China has announced it is scheduling the entire class of nitazene-related substances. It will be interesting to see how this, if at all, will impact #nitazene supply: chinadaily.com.cn/a/202506/19/WS…

How Trump the ‘master deal-maker’ failed when it came to negotiating with the Taliban in Afghanistan theconversation.com/how-trump-the-… via @ConversationUK

Super piece theconversation.com/how-trump-the-…