Charlie Rowley, 45, and Dawn Sturgess, 44, fell ill on Saturday in Amesbury, just miles from the Salisbury attack on Skripal and daughter Yulia in March.
Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu confirmed the substance that left the couple ill was Novichok, the same substance used to attack Skripal.
Home Secretary Sajid Javid is set to chair an emergency Cobra meeting, Downing Street said.
Cops initially believed the couple had been exposed to a damaging batch of crack cocaine or heroin, Class A drugs.
But mystery now surrounds the incident at the weekend after Basu made the bombshell statement tonight.
The couple remain in a critical condition, with police stating that nobody else has been exposed to the substance.
A COUPLE were left in a "zombie-state" after being exposed to the same nerve agent used to attack Russian spy Sergei Skripal, police have confirmed.
Charlie Rowley 45 and Dawn Sturgess 44 fell ill on Saturday in Amesbury just miles from the Salisbury attack on Skripal and daughter Yulia in March Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu confirmed the substance that left the couple ill was Novichok the same substance used to attack Skripal Home Secretary Sajid Javid is set to chair an emergency Cobra meeting Downing Street said Cops initially believed the couple had been exposed to a damaging batch of crack cocaine or heroin Class A drugs But mystery now surrounds the incident at the weekend after Basu made the bombshell statement tonight The couple remain in a critical condition with police stating that nobody else has been exposed to the substance