This article was first published by RNZ.
Auckland City Mission is urgently contacting people who may have been given food parcels with lollies containing potentially lethal amounts of methamphetamine.
The Rinda-branded pineapple lollies were unknowingly distributed in food parcels yesterday, donated by an unknown member of the public.
The lollies were taken to the Drug Foundation for initial testing on Tuesday, after a parcel recipient reported “funny tasting” lollies making them feel unusual.
National Poison Centre deputy director Dr Bill Boroughf told Nine to Noon this was a “particularly unique scenario” but at least exposure should be limited.
3mg of methamphetamine would be a “significant ingestion” of the stimulant and could be fatal, he said.
However, it was likely the drug was hidden to be smuggled across the border so was unlikely to have been flavoured, Boroughf said.
“I can imagine they would not taste like a pineapple lolly whatsoever,” he said.
“Fortunately we at least have a limited scope of exposure.”
Boroughf said the situation highlighted the importance of easily accessible no cost drug testing which he said was something New Zealand was very progressive about.
“That’s a fabulous thing,” he said.
100 percent methamphetamine
Chief executive Sarah Helm said the initial testing of a small sample showed it was 100 percent methamphetamine.
“The lolly itself weighed three grams. So if indeed the content is consistent throughout the lolly, then in fact we’re looking at something like up to 300 doses of methamphetamine in each lolly.
“That would be a lethal dose.”
Helm told Morning Report she believed the lolly was in a sealed bag of about 20 lollies. Though they had only tested a tiny portion of one lolly so it wasn’t clear whether the rest of the bag contained drugs too.
She said immediately yesterday they contacted the National Drug Intelligence Bureau and Poison Line.
“We were very concerned that somebody may have consumed the thing and have some really adverse events or fatalities as a result. Really unusual for this to have happened.
“Certainly wasn’t on our bingo card for this year.”
Further testing is being done at the ESR science lab on Wednesday, alongside a police investigation.
Helm said it was unlikely this was done intentionally to peddle the drugs, but rather was connected to smuggling.
“I think that actually the most likely scenario, is that it’s not uncommon overseas for smuggling to occur in things like food products or lollies, and I suspect there’s been some sort of unintended distribution to the city mission. I doubt that someone was intentionally trying to peddle these to children,” she said.
“But given the situation with the City Mission, we’re very concerned there may indeed have been people who have consumed these lollies.”
The Drug Foundation has notified High Alert, which is part of the National Drug Intelligence Bureau responsible for drug harm notifications.
‘Absolutely devastated’
Missioner Helen Robinson said she was “absolutely devastated”.
The City Mission said it only accepted commercially manufactured food for inclusion in food parcels and the lollies appeared as such when donated. The lollies were in a sealed retail-sized package.
Police said they were prioritising the investigation, given the risk to the public.
Initial enquiries showed the lollies may have been distributed through food parcels for the past several weeks.
Anyone who has received the lollies in a food parcel are being urged not to consume them and to secure them out of reach.
People with the lollies should call police on 111 so they can be retrieved, quoting file number 240813/5919.
“If you are concerned you may have consumed one of these lollies and are feeling unwell, go to your nearest healthcare provider urgently,” police said.
“You can also call the national poison line on 0800 764 766.”
A media conference is being held by the City Mission on Wednesday morning.
- RNZ