Illustrative image. (source: SME - Marko Erd)
All it takes is a single prescribed dose of sodium pentobarbital to cause death, reportedly with little to no pain. Advertisements selling the compound known commercially as Nemnutal have recently appeared on two Slovak advertising websites, the Sme daily has reported.
In high doses, the sedative can cause death and in some US states it is used in executions, in veterinary medicine to kill animals.
Police who have checked the ads say they are a scam. Both were deleted after the daily flagged them up. One was featured on a website selling perfumes, the other on one selling antiques.
Promising a peaceful death, the ads told readers all they had to do was to send an e-mail and the seller would calculate a precise dose.
When a Sme reporter pretending to be interested in buying the compound contacted the seller behind the ad on the perfume website, the seller confirmed they could sell it and asked the reporter for their age, weight and €200. The ad on the antique website offered the compound for €100.
The Health Ministry is aware of the ads and is in contact with the police. No cases of anyone falling victim to the scam have yet been recorded.
"These are fraudulent advertisements with the intention of enticing payment for the goods in advance," says police spokesperson Denisa Bárdyová.
Austria and Hungary have recorded one death each in connection with the compound.
