On Wednesday, a charity in New Zealand issued an urgent alert after discovering that candy it had distributed was laced with a deadly dose of methamphetamine.
Auckland City Mission revealed it was working to locate over 300 families who had received the contaminated sweets, which had been donated by a public contributor.
Reports indicate that the level of methamphetamine in the candy was nearly 300 times higher than a standard dose, posing a grave risk of fatal overdose.
Ben Birks Ang, a spokesperson for the mission, explained that drug concealment methods like this are common among smugglers, raising concerns that the tainted candy may have been spread to various parts of the country.
There is speculation that the contaminated candy donation might have been accidental, particularly given its street value of approximately Sh78,400 per piece.
Some families reported an unpleasant taste after consuming the candy, which led them to dispose of it and prompted the investigation.
Testing by the New Zealand Drug Foundation confirmed the candy contained dangerously high levels of methamphetamine.
Sarah Helm, head of the foundation, highlighted that the candy held up to 300 doses of meth, far exceeding the typical 10 to 25 milligrams per dose.
“Consuming such a large amount is extremely dangerous and could be fatal,” Helm cautioned.
In response, Rinda, a Malaysian confectioner, acknowledged the situation and indicated that their products may have been misused.
The company assured that it does not include illegal drugs in its products and pledged to work closely with law enforcement and authorities to resolve the issue and safeguard their brand’s reputation.
Ngunyi Urges Ruto To Appoint Ngilu As CS To Counter Kalonzo In Ukambani
