55,000 Capsules Of Laughing Gas Seized In Ibiza

Authorities have seized more than 55,000 capsules of laughing gas on the Spanish party island of Ibiza.

The search operation was carried out by the civil guard in five different premises in the popular tourist area of Sant Antoni on the Balearic island of Ibiza off Spain’s east coast.

Aside from the capsules of nitrous oxide, more commonly known as laughing gas, 400 dispensers and around 21,000 balloons used to inhale the gas were recovered.

Pic shows: The boxes of the seized capsules

Their estimated value on the black market is around 800,000 Euros (711,927 GBP), according to local media.

The Spanish Civil Guard said in a press statement that the sale and consumption of “laughing gas” by tourists, especially British nationals, has been causing concern in the area.

After receiving numerous complaints, authorities carried out an investigation to try and identify those selling it, which ended in the
recent search operation and various arrests.

According to the police report, 30 people have been arrested in conjunction to the sale of laughing gas since the beginning of the summer season.

According to the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Sanitary Products, the consumption of oxide nitrous has various health risks.

The laughing gas causes analgesia, excitation, hallucinations, confusion and sedation. It has a toxic effect over bone marrow and is linked with neurological issues and in extreme cases can even cause death through suffocation.

All those effects are increased if the gas is mixed up with other drugs or alcohol as it raises the effect in the nervous central system.

In August last year, two men of Senegalese nationality were sentenced to four months each in prison for selling the capsules in Sant Antonio.

While the consumption of laughing gas is not illegal, its sale for recreational use is.

According to local media, the laughing gas is sold for up to 20 euros (17.7 GBP) per capsule in Ibiza.