Police investigate suspected ecstasy overdoses of 4 Saanich teens

Four teenagers in Saanich, B.C., overdosed on what they thought was ecstasy Tuesday night and police are trying to track down two suspected drug traffickers who sold the highly concentrated pills to the students.

Police were called to a movie theatre at Tillicum Centre around 5 p.m. Tuesday in the suburb area of Victoria, but were unable to locate the teenagers, a police spokesman said Wednesday.

Officers later searched a park area and found a 13-year-old and 14-year-old who were wandering in the park and under the influence of a narcotic or narcotics.

The teens, who admitted to consuming two to nine tablets of what they believed to be ecstasy, were transported to Victoria General Hospital for medical treatment, police said.

At around 6:18 p.m., police responded to another incident where a 13-year-old boy overdosed in the mall, exhibiting signs of being under the influence of ecstasy and methamphetamine, police said.

"He was unable to talk without clenching his teeth. His pupils were dilated to very near wide open. His speech was rapid. His heart rate was elevated and he was very hot to the touch," according to a Saanich Police Department press release.

The boy admitted to consuming what he thought was pure ecstasy and was transported to hospital.

A 14-year-old girl also showed up at the Victoria General Hospital, suffering from the effects of an overdose.

She admitted to being part of a larger group that purchased what they thought were double doses of ecstasy, police said. The four teenagers then went to Cuthbert Holmes Park to take the tablets.

Police and school liaison officers in Saanich continue to investigate the case.