A charity in Auckland, New Zealand, the Auckland City Mission, unknowingly distributed sweets filled with a potentially lethal dose of methamphetamine in food parcels donated by a member of the public. The New Zealand Drug Foundation discovered the lollies contained up to 300 times the usual amount of methamphetamine and could be lethal if consumed. The police have opened a criminal investigation into the incident.
The sweets, which had a street value of NZ$1,000 each, were disguised as innocuous goods and may have been distributed throughout the country. Eight families, including children, reported consuming the contaminated sweets but were not hospitalized. The charity only accepts commercially produced food in sealed packaging, and the lollies initially appeared to be legitimate products.
The City Missioner, Helen Robinson, expressed devastation over the incident, and some recipients, including clients of the charity’s addiction service, were distressed by the news. Methamphetamine is a highly addictive substance that affects the central nervous system and is usually found as a white, odourless crystalline powder.
The charity is working with authorities to track down and retrieve the contaminated parcels. This incident serves as a reminder of the dangers of cross-border smuggling and the importance of cautious donation practices. Rinda, the Malaysian brand stamped on the sweets, did not provide immediate comment on the matter.
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