Horrific injuries caused by ‘flesh-eating zombie drug’ krokodil laid bare

Emma Davies is just 41-years-old but in the last 12 months she has suffered two heart attacks and a stroke.

She also suffers from Hepatitis C, deep vein thrombosis and has scarred lungs, an enlarged spleen and has just battled super bug MRSA.

Emma, from Tredworth in Gloucestshire, is one of a growing number of people addicted to Desomorphine .

It’s street name in krokodil, it’s 10 times strong than heroin and has been described as the world’s deadliest drug.

Just one small injection can cause huge amounts of flesh to rot away from the body.

The drug is made using paint thinner and users’ skin looks like crocodile scales, which gives Desomorphine its name.

Krokodil’s devastating impact was laid bare at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court , where Davies was accused of shoplifting.

She had been due to appear at court last August but after taking the ‘fles-eating zombie’ drug had tobe trated at Gloucestershire Royal Infirmary for "horrific" open sores, reports Gloucestershire Live .

Davies was also due before the court last week but was unable to attend because “a rather unpleasant blood infection caused large ulcers on her arms”, her solicitor Clare Buckley explained.

Krokodil has already claimed the lives of thousands of people in Russia and Eastern Europe.

So far, there have been very few reports of it being used in the UK but Emma’s story is far from unique.

Injecting the drug will burst blood vessels, causing the skin to rot away, becoming green and crusty.

Addicts are left with ghastly open wounds, which they are often reluctant to get treated, only causing the injuries to get more infected.


Photos of the effects how one user with a huge gaping sore on her ankle which appears to be oozing with pus.

Another has a huge red wound covering her entire leg after months of using the drug.

Beneath the wound, her foot has swelled while blotches cover her emaciated body.

And another addict is shown with her arm rotted right down, exposing a huge swathe of the bone beneath.

The drug can be cooked-up at home and is available for a tenth of the price of heroin.

Those who use it regularly are often estimated to have just two years left to live, while its withdrawal symptoms can last for a month.

Krokodil became popular because it can be made cheaply using over-the-counter ingredients including paint thinner.

Hydrochloric acid and red phosphorous scraped from the sides of match boxes are also used to cook the designer drug.

Russian narcotics expert Sergey Agakalov said: "A person becomes a zombie with their body rotting, the rancid smell of which is detected a few steps away."

In addition to skin rotting away, ulcers and gangrene, krokodil can also lead to skin and soft tissue infections, limb amputations, pneumonia, blood poisoning and meningitis .

And the list doesn’t stop there.

It can also cause rotting gums or tooth loss, bone infections, impaired speech and motor skills, memory loss, liver and kidney damage – and ultimately death.

Davies who is on benefits, stole from three Eastgate Street shops on January 15 with an accomplice.

The pair stole trainers and a handbag, worth £52.50 in total, from Clarks.

They then moved onto the Body Shop, where they took £178 worth of products without paying.

After they went into M&S, Gloucester’s City Protection Officers saw them packing “large quantities” of clothing in their bags.

The officers detained them and recovered the M&S clothes, worth £752.50, as well as the other items.

Davies solicitor told the court: "Miss Davies was going to swap the items for drugs and food.

“This was the first occasion she felt remorse for her actions as she was due to start a drug rehab programme the next day.”

Mrs Buckley said the defendant was living with other drug users in unsuitable accommodation at the time of the offence.

She added that Davies has since moved into a new home with “a man of good character”.

Presiding justice Peter Liver handed Davies a 12month community order including 30 rehab days. She was ordered to pay £220.

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