Angel dust, antibiotics and other prescription-only animal drugs are freely available North of the Border, endangering public health there and in the Republic where they are being illegally imported. Prescription drugs were handed over the counter by vets or their staff with only minimal checks.
In a journey along the Border from Derry to Newry, these dangerous drugs were handed over in six veterinary outlets. On no occasion was I asked for my name or identification.
The amount of drugs available was limited only by the cash available as outlet after outlet broke UK and EU laws and their own code of professional ethics by handing over the drugs.
All the drugs purchased are legal but only when issued by a vet who has seen or has been treating animals for which the drugs are being dispensed. The drugs involved were Ventipul min, which contains clenbuterol, commonly known as angel dust, Colvasone, Oxytocin and Micotil, one of the strongest antibiotics available to vets.
Only one of the vets who was approached refused to supply me on the grounds there was no prescription. Two pharmacies who were asked to supply the drugs also refused.
Wearing wellingtons and a tweed hat and accompanied by a young woman, "Victoria", who posed as my daughter, I approached the first veterinary office and asked for a tub of Ventipulmin "for the horse".
Ventipulmin, which contains angel dust, is a prescription-only medicine used in the treatment of horses and calves, but it can be administered illegally to cattle by beef farmers to increase their weight.
There was some discussion between three young women behind the counter and one of them said regulations forbidding the sale of it had been circulated the previous day. One of the women asked me if I had bought the drug there before and when I said no, she appeared satisfied. She wanted to know if I was paying in pounds or sterling and charged me sterling £30 for the clenbuterol. Approaching the other outlets, I first asked for a worming powder for a horse, for which no prescription is needed.
When this was delivered I asked for Ventipulmin which was handed over without question, even though I did not specify that it would be used only on horses. In other outlets I merely produced an empty bottle showing the labels and when I requested a full bottle, it was issued without question.
Procuring the drugs from the outlets was so easy that by the end of the trip I abandoned the disguise because it was clearly unnecessary to pose as a farmer.
I crossed and re-crossed the Border several times, eventually leaving the Republic via Newry where the only Border checkpoint I came across during the day was in operation.
The drugs were handed over to a veterinary surgeon when I entered the Republic. Later in the week they were surrendered to the Special Investigations Unit of the Department of Agriculture and Food.
Last weekend, "Victoria" visited the outlet where I had been refused the drugs. They were handed over to her without question. She requested a receipt and gave a fictitious name in Co Donegal.
The Department of Agriculture in Northern Ireland said on Friday that it caused it great concern that controlled drugs were handed over in such a way and said it would investigate.
Head of food safety group says incorrect use of drugs could be lethal: page 5