Police in New Zealand are urgently working to track down sweets that contain “potentially lethal levels of methamphetamine” after they were inadvertently distributed by a charity in Auckland.
According to Auckland City Mission, the anti-poverty charity that handed out the sweets, up to 400 people may have received them as part of food parcels. The sweets were donated anonymously by a member of the public in sealed retail packaging.
At least three individuals, including a child, sought medical treatment after consuming the sweets, although none are currently hospitalized.
“We had no idea the lollies contained methamphetamine when they were given out,” a spokesperson for the charity informed the BBC.
The New Zealand Drug Foundation estimates that each sweet could carry a street value of approximately NZ$1,000 ($601; £468).
Although police have not yet determined whether the incident was accidental or deliberate, they caution that it is still “a bit early to say.”
The charity alerted authorities on Tuesday after a recipient reported that the sweets had a “funny taste.” Helen Robinson, CEO of Auckland City Mission, mentioned that some staff members also tasted the sweets, felt unwell, and sent them to the NZ Drug Foundation for testing.
The tests confirmed that the sweets contained potentially deadly levels of methamphetamine.
The foundation’s head, Sarah Helm, explained that one of the sweets tested contained about 3g of methamphetamine. “
A common dose is between 10-25mg, so this contaminated lolly contained up to 300 doses,” Helm noted, emphasizing that ingesting such a large amount could be “extremely dangerous and potentially fatal.”
Methamphetamine can cause severe health issues, including chest pain, rapid heartbeat, seizures, hyperthermia, delirium, and loss of consciousness.
Ms. Robinson stated that the mission typically distributes around 50,000 food parcels annually, which only include commercially manufactured food.
Police have urged anyone in possession of sweets wrapped in Rinda’s yellow pineapple-flavored packaging to contact them immediately.
“It’s vital the public are aware of these lollies and the hazard that they present,” Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin said during a press conference on Wednesday.
Describing the situation as “deeply concerning,” Baldwin noted that cases of food laced with methamphetamine had occurred before and that authorities would likely collaborate with Interpol in the investigation, which may take some time.
Rinda, a Malaysian confectionery company, told the BBC that they are aware of the misuse of their products in connection with illegal substances and emphasized that they “do not use or condone the use of any illegal drugs” in their products.
The company pledged to cooperate closely with law enforcement and relevant authorities to resolve the issue.
Steven Peh, the general manager of Rinda, told local news outlet Stuff NZ that the contaminated candy in the photos he saw was white, whereas Rinda’s product is yellow.
Authorities are still assessing the extent of the distribution. Sixteen packets of the contaminated sweets have been recovered so far, but police estimate that each packet may contain 20-30 sweets, with the exact number remaining unknown.
Up to 400 people have been contacted by the charity in their efforts to retrieve the sweets.
Ms. Robinson indicated that the sweets likely arrived at the charity in mid-July, but they are reaching out to recipients who received food parcels as far back as July 1 to ensure safety.
Ben Birks Ang, deputy director of the NZ Drug Foundation, suggested that the incident was likely unintentional, as disguising substances to smuggle them elsewhere is a common tactic.
However, there are concerns that other charities could be affected. Ms. Robinson mentioned that she had contacted other charities to check for similar sweets.
“To say we are devastated is an absolute understatement,” she expressed, noting that one in five people in New Zealand face food insecurity, making the incident “deeply distressing.”
Source-BBC
