Food Bank Accidentally Hands Out Dangerous Methamphetamine Disguised as Candy

A startling incident unfolded in Auckland, New Zealand, where a charity inadvertently distributed candies containing methamphetamine in its food parcels. The Auckland City Mission, which supports the homeless, is now in the process of contacting approximately 400 individuals who received these parcels.

The candies, cleverly disguised in candy wrappers, were found to actually be solid blocks of the narcotic. Following the revelations, New Zealand’s police have launched a criminal investigation to uncover the source of these dangerous donations. On Wednesday, the City Mission reported that the doses found in each candy could be up to 300 times stronger than a typical dose, leading to potentially fatal consequences.

According to Ben Birks Ang of the New Zealand Drug Foundation, this method of hiding drugs in common items is frequently used in cross-border smuggling. The candies reportedly have a street value of NZ$ 1,000 (approximately $608), indicating that the donation was likely an accident rather than a malicious intent.

City Missioner Helen Robinson revealed that eight families, including at least one child, have reported consuming the tainted candies. Fortunately, no hospitalizations occurred; many individuals noticed the “revolting” taste and spat them out immediately.

Robinson emphasized that the charity strictly accepts sealed food donations, reinforcing that the pineapple candies were packaged in a retail-sized bag branded by Malaysian manufacturer Rinda. A food bank client first alerted the staff on Tuesday about the strange-tasting confectionery, prompting a taste test that led to immediate notification of the authorities.

The candies had been donated over the past six weeks, though the total number of affected candies remains unclear. This unsettling news comes as some of the parcel recipients are clients of the charity’s addiction services, causing significant distress among them.

Robinson expressed deep concern, stating, “To say that we are devastated is an understatement.” Following the incident, the food bank suspended operations on Wednesday while investigators delve into the matter. Rinda has yet to provide a comment regarding the situation.