POLICE are investigating a potential link after five people died from suspected heroin overdoses in Belfast in one weekend.
The PSNI said it was too early to make a connection between the deaths which occurred over three days.
Post-mortems have been held and officers are now waiting on the results of further tests.
On Saturday, the Irish News reported that the deaths triggered an 'early warning system' led by the health service and shared with agencies including police and the Department of Justice.
The Drug and Alcohol Monitoring and Information System alert stated there had been "five suspected drug-related deaths" the previous weekend "within the greater Belfast area".
On Saturday November 16, Aaron Connor (21) died in hospital after being found unconscious in a Starbucks cafe in Corn Market. His family believe he died after taking heroin.
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Police also said they were probing the sudden death of a 19-year-old woman who was found at premises close to the Victoria Square shopping centre on Sunday November 17.
In addition, officers are looking at the sudden deaths of a 26-year-old man in Bradbury Place and of a 29-year-old man in Clandeboye Gardens in the east of the city on November 15.
It is also investigating the death of a 48-year-old man at Waring Street in the city centre on November 16.
Detective Inspector Pete Mullan from PSNI's Organised Crime Branch, said he was aware of concern in the community regarding the spate of sudden deaths.
"I am also aware of reports surrounding the circumstances in which they occurred and their causes," he told the Irish Times.
"What I can say at this time is that post-mortem examinations have been held into each of these sudden deaths and we are now waiting on the results of further tests.
"I want to take this opportunity to reassure the community that we, as a police service, are committed to tackling the illegal supply of drugs. The devastation experienced as a result of drug misuse is cross cutting and impacts people's lives at every level in Northern Ireland."
He added that due to the causes, complexity and pervasiveness of drug misuse, no one agency could tackle it alone.
"However, we will continue to work in tandem with partner agencies to tackle drug abuse and to do what we can to keep people safe," he said.
"We will do this by continuing to work with our law enforcement partners to prevent the importation and supply of illicit and counterfeit drugs by pro-actively investigating the organised crime groups who supply them."
