THREE men have been arrested by police officers investigating the theft of potentially deadly drugs including morphine from a private hospital in Chester.

A quantity of controlled substances, include ketamine, fentanyl and morphine, went missing from the Nuffield Health Grosvenor Hospital Chester, Wrexham Road, overnight on Tuesday, November 7.

Cheshire Police said today that three men, aged 38, 41 and 47, all from Chester, have been arrested on suspicion of burglary.

The three have been released pending further investigations.

A warning was issues after the drugs went missing.

Senior clinicians at NHS England Cheshire and Merseyside have  serious concerns about the harm the drugs could do if taken. Some are very potent and very fast-acting.

They can cause respiratory arrest and can kill.

Clinicians advise anyone who comes across them to hand them in to the police or at their nearest pharmacy or chemist.

Dr Devina Halsall, the controlled drugs accountable officer for NHS England for the local area, said: “These drugs should not be taken under any circumstances. Anyone taking them is putting their health seriously at risk.

“Anyone who thinks they’ve taken any of these drugs should go straight to A&E and take the packaging with them. You don’t know how you will react to any or medicine. Drugs can affect people in different ways.”

Cheshire Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident at the private hospital on Wrexham Road, Chester, sometime between 8pm on November 7 and 7.50am the following morning.

DS Nick Henderson said: “I’d urge anyone who saw any suspicious activity in the area around these times or anyone with any information to contact me.

“If you are offered prescription drugs illegally, I’d urge you to contact police as soon as possible.”

Anyone with information is urged to  contact the police on 101 quoting incident number 134 of  November 8 or call Crimestoppers anonymously  on 0800 555 111.