Police in New Zealand have recovered 41 pieces of methamphetamine hidden inside candy wrappers—each containing a potentially lethal dose—that were unintentionally distributed by an Auckland food bank.
Authorities were working late Friday to collect an additional two dozen contaminated sweets from the public, according to a police statement, bringing the total number of meth-laced candies to at least 65. The exact number of these dangerous sweets still in circulation is unknown, said Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin.
Fortunately, no one has been seriously harmed by the contaminated candies.
The candies, which were disguised as Rinda-branded Malaysian confectionery, were donated to the Auckland City Mission sometime in the last six weeks, the charity revealed on Wednesday. Staff quickly initiated a recall of up to 400 food parcels after a client reported a “funny-tasting” sweet. Drug testing confirmed the candies were solid methamphetamine.
Three individuals who consumed the tainted sweets were treated in hospitals and discharged shortly afterward. The “revolting” taste led most people to spit the candies out immediately, said City Missioner Helen Robinson.
The New Zealand Drug Foundation, which conducted the initial tests, warned that each candy contained up to 300 times the typical dose of methamphetamine—enough to be fatal.
Ben Birks Ang, a spokesperson for the foundation, explained in a news conference on Wednesday that disguising drugs as everyday items is a common smuggling tactic. He warned that more of the meth-laced candies could have been distributed throughout New Zealand.
Authorities are still unsure how many of the tainted sweets were handed out by the Auckland City Mission or if they might appear elsewhere, Baldwin said. Each retail-sized bag of Rinda pineapple candies contains about 40 pieces, indicating that at least two bags were donated to the charity.
The street value of each doctored candy was approximately 1,000 New Zealand dollars ($608), suggesting that the donation was likely accidental rather than a deliberate attack, Birks Ang added. Police are investigating whether this incident was part of a botched drug smuggling operation, as well as reports of someone trying to sell one of the candies on Facebook.
The charity’s food bank only accepts donations of commercially produced food in sealed packaging, Robinson noted. The pineapple candies, labeled with Rinda’s branding, appeared legitimate when donated.
Rinda Food Industries released a statement on Wednesday, pledging to cooperate with authorities. “We want to make it clear that Rinda Food Industries does not use or condone the use of any illegal drugs in our products,” said General Manager Steven Teh.
Read More: Charity Accidentally Distributes Meth-Laced Candies in Auckland Food Parcels
Methamphetamine is a potent and highly addictive stimulant that affects the central nervous system. It usually appears as a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder that dissolves easily in water or alcohol.
