A DEADLY new version of party drug ecstasy is being sold in Scotland.

Insiders fear thousands of the powerful pills have been shipped into the country.

Drugs squads across the country are being extra vigilant after the tablets were linked to the death of a man in England.

But one police insider described the effects of the pills as "particularly nasty".

They added: "Tests are being done on the recovered tablets at the moment.

"We all know ecstasy is dangerous, whether they are pink, red, green, blue, yellow, or stamped with a logo or not.

"But these are particularly nasty."

Supplies of the small turquoise pills - which are shaped like a shield - have been found in Scotland.

However, police remained tight-lipped about the locations of the seizures.

Dealers are understood to be selling the ecstasy tablets to clubbers for as little as £2 each.

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: "We are aware of the existence of these tablets, and there have been some recoveries in Scotland.

"However we are not aware of any incidents directly linked to these tablets."

A 45-year-old man died in Lancashire after apparently taking ecstasy, earlier this month.

Police said the man was taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Officers immediately warned people not to take the pills, which are sometimes known as Turquoise Heart.

Police in Glasgow have repeatedly warned about the dangers of "party pills" and so-called legal highs.

A warning was issued after the death of 17-year-old Regane MacColl who fell ill in Glasgow's Arches nightclub.

Her death was linked to Red Mortal Kombat pills.

Green and yellow pills - dubbed Rockstar - also sparked fears after it was discovered they contained a deadly mix of PMA, PMMA, and caffeine.

In 2013, the deaths of six people were linked to Green Rolex pills.

Most of those who died were in their early 20s.

In some European countries, clubbers are able to go to "testing stations" to check for dodgy pills before taking them.

The move has seen ecstasy deaths plummet in recent years.