A charity working with homeless people in Auckland, New Zealand, has unknowingly distributed sweets filled with a potentially lethal dose of methamphetamines.The sweets were found in food parcels after they were donated by a member of the public.Auckland City Mission, that donates parcels of essentials to New Zealanders who cannot afford food, said on Wednesday 14 August that staff had started to contact up to 400 people to track down parcels that could contain the sweets.The candy was tested by the New Zealand Drug Foundation charity, which found the blocks, enclosed in lolly wrappers, contained a potentially lethal three grams of methamphetamine.New Zealand’s police have opened a criminal investigation.
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NewsTranscript
00:30Early yesterday afternoon we received an alert of concern by a food parcel recipient
00:41who said that they had tried funny tasting lollies and wanted to let us know and an acknowledgement
00:49to that individual for the very good thing that she did by ringing us and let us know.
00:55As a measure of safety, because we have very skilled and able staff, concerned themselves
01:02about this, they took the lollies still on site to the New Zealand Drug Foundation, whom
01:09we have a very good and close working relationship with.
01:14Tests confirmed immediately that the lollies contained, and this is very important, potentially
01:22lethal levels of methamphetamine.
01:27We are aware of three people that have sought medical assistance as a result, none are currently
01:33in hospital to the best of my knowledge.
01:38A charity worker was taken to Auckland City Hospital yesterday evening having experienced
01:45symptoms which would be consistent with consumption of methamphetamine and she reported tasting
01:53the unpleasant tasting lolly.
01:57She has since been discharged.