Methamphetamine-Contaminated Candies Distributed at New Zealand Food Bank
Three individuals were admitted to a hospital in Auckland after unintentionally ingesting narcotics that were up to 300 times stronger than a standard dose.
On Wednesday, it was disclosed that a food bank in New Zealand had been unknowingly distributing candies containing potentially lethal amounts of methamphetamine in its food packages.
The charity Auckland City Mission revealed that they were reaching out to around 400 recipients to locate parcels that may contain the tainted sweets, which were methamphetamine blocks disguised as candy.
Following the consumption of the narcotic candies, three people required hospital treatment, as confirmed by authorities in New Zealand.
According to the New Zealand Drug Foundation, each candy contained methamphetamine levels that were significantly higher than usual and could be fatal.
Ben Birks Ang, a spokesperson for the foundation, noted that disguising drugs is a common smuggling technique and warned that more of these sweets could have circulated in the country.
With a street value of NZ$1,000 each, it was suggested that the donation of these candies to the food bank was accidental rather than malicious, Birks Ang added.
Authorities stated that while they had recovered 16 of the tainted sweets, they were uncertain about the total number circulating in the community.
Helen Robinson from Auckland City Mission mentioned that eight families, including at least one child, had reported trying these contaminated treats since Tuesday, although the unpleasant taste led most to spit them out immediately.
The charity strictly accepts donations of commercially packaged food, like the pineapple sweets labeled with the Malaysian brand Rinda, which were dropped off in the past six weeks.
Upon receiving a report from a food bank user about the odd taste of the candy, Auckland City Mission acted promptly by contacting the authorities after testing the candies themselves.
Rinda Food Industries issued a statement expressing cooperation with authorities, emphasizing that they do not endorse or use illegal drugs in their products.
Methamphetamine typically appears as a white, bitter-tasting crystalline powder that easily dissolves in water or alcohol.
This report includes content from The Associated Press.
