New Zealand police are currently working to recover a quantity of methamphetamine that Auckland City Mission inadvertently distributed after being mistaken for candy.
The methamphetamine, disguised as pineapple-flavoured boiled sweets from the Malaysian brand Rinda, was donated to the charity by an anonymous individual, as confirmed by Helen Robinson, the charity’s executive.
Each block of methamphetamine, weighing approximately three grams, contained up to 300 doses—a potentially lethal amount, according to Ben Birks Ang, deputy executive director of the New Zealand Drug Foundation, which tested the substance.
The mix-up led to three people—a charity worker, a child, and a teenager—seeking medical attention after consuming the supposed candy.
Fortunately, all were discharged without severe harm. At least eight families reported having tried the fake sweets, but the unpleasant taste caused them to spit it out immediately, reducing the potential effects of the drug. Due to the drug, even minimal exposure could be dangerous.
The New Zealand Drug Foundation warned that symptoms from ingesting the meth-laced candy could include chest pain, seizures, hyperthermia, delirium, and even loss of consciousness.
By Wednesday, police had recovered 16 pieces of the methamphetamine and had launched an investigation into how the drugs ended up being distributed. Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin noted that it was unclear exactly how many pieces were mistakenly given out, estimating it could range from a single packet containing 20 to 30 pieces to several such packets. Baldwin emphasized the seriousness of the situation and assured the public that efforts to retrieve the drugs were ongoing.
Auckland City Mission, which provides food and housing assistance to those in need across Auckland, stated that the methamphetamine was likely distributed within the last six weeks.
The charity only accepts commercially packaged products, and the candies appeared legitimate because they were sealed and bore the brand name of a recognized confectionary.
The issue came to light when a recipient of one of the charity’s parcels reported that the candy tasted strange. Some staff members at the charity, believing it to be regular candy, tasted it themselves and immediately realized something was wrong, prompting them to send the samples for drug testing.
Police suspect that the methamphetamine likely originated from overseas and was smuggled into New Zealand hidden in food packaging, a tactic often used by drug traffickers. However, it remains unclear whether the drugs were donated to the charity by mistake or as part of an intentional act. Given the high street value of methamphetamine, Detective Inspector Baldwin noted that it would be costly to use the drugs in an attempt to harm people.
