Essex drug deaths: Two men arrested after six people die in three days

Suspects held in custody following health warnings over batch

Six people died in and around Southend, Essex (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Two men have been arrested on suspicion of Class-A drugs offences after six people died in Essex within two days.

Detectives have been investigating the suspected drugs-related deaths of three men and three women at the end of last month.

All the victims died in neighbouring towns within 10 miles of each other – Canvey Island, Benfleet, Leigh-on-Sea and Westcliff-on-Sea, a suburb of Southend.

Health chiefs warned people not to buy drugs for fear a bad batch could be responsible for killing users.

A 26-year-old from London and a 29-year-old from Grays, Essex, were arrested in Barking on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class-A drugs, and are both in police custody.

Police said tests to identify the drug or substance involved were under way but their focus remained on Class-A drugs.

Additional reporting by the Press Association