At least 20 people have been killed due to taking adulterated cocaine in Buenos Aires, Argentina authorities have confirmed.

More than 74 people are in hospital after taking the drugs cut with a toxic substance. Eighteen patients required mechanical respiration.

The substance has not yet been confirmed, it is being analysed in a lab.

“There is a key ingredient that is attacking the central nervous system,” Sergio Berni, the security chief for Buenos Aires province, told local TV channel Telefe.

Authorities are probing if the drugs were deliberately spiked by traffickers who were settling a score with a rival gang.

The cocaine was bought in the “Puerta 8”  shantytown in San Martín. The regional security minister has urged anyone who may have bought cocaine in the area in the past 24 hours to throw it away and not consume it.

“There must be a lot of people with a bag in their pocket and the number of people hospitalised shows that the most important thing is to stop this extremely high risk.”

A dozen people have been arrested in connection with the incident.

“This event is absolutely exceptional. We have no precedent,” San Martin attorney general Marcelo Lapargo told cable channel Todo Noticias.

“If the situation has escalated and the nature of trafficking has changed to the point where this becomes commonplace, I hope I never see it again.”

An urgent warning was issued on Wednesday after three different hospitals reported several deaths and serious cases of poisoning to the authorities. A number of patients had been taking cocaine together. It’s now known that similar cases have been reported in 10 different local hospitals.

Police have identified four of the victims who died as Martín López, 36; Hernán Castro, 45; Dino Melgarejo, 33; and Fernando Yacante, age unreleased, according to the Buenos Aires Times.

“Every dealer that buys cocaine cuts it,” said Berni, reported the BBC. “Some do it with non-toxic substances such as starch. Others put hallucinogens, and if there is no form of control, those things pass.”

Authorities are looking to find the rest of the cocaine batch to make sure it is not consumed.

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