Auckland City Mission, a charity aiding the homeless in Auckland, New Zealand, recently discovered that candies donated by the public contained a dangerously high dose of methamphetamine. The sweets, which were actually solid blocks of methamphetamine hidden inside candy wrappers, were distributed in food parcels.
On Wednesday, the City Mission announced that staff were reaching out to approximately 400 people to locate any potentially contaminated parcels. Three individuals required hospital treatment after consuming the candies but have since been discharged.
According to the New Zealand Drug Foundation, which initially tested the candies, each candy contained up to 300 times the typical dose of methamphetamine, posing a lethal risk. Ben Birks Ang from the Foundation noted that smuggling drugs in such a deceptive manner is a common tactic and warned that more of these candies might be distributed across New Zealand.
The candies had a street value of NZ$1,000 ($608) each, suggesting that the donation was likely accidental rather than a deliberate attack, said Birks Ang. Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin indicated that the situation appeared to be an importation error but was still unclear in terms of scope. While 16 of the candies have been recovered, the total number in circulation remains unknown.
City Missioner Helen Robinson reported that eight families, including at least one child, had consumed the contaminated candies since Tuesday. The unpleasant taste caused most to discard them immediately. The charity only accepts donations of commercially packaged food, and the candies, branded as Malaysian Rinda, seemed authentic when donated.
The issue was first flagged when a client reported the “funny-tasting” candy. Staff tasted some of the remaining candies, contacted authorities, and one staff member required hospital treatment. A child and a young person were also treated but later discharged.
The candies had been donated over the past six weeks, though it’s unclear how many were distributed or how many contained methamphetamine. Rinda Food Industries stated that they had only learned of the issue through media reports and emphasized that they do not condone the use of illegal drugs in their products, as confirmed by General Manager Steven Teh.
Methamphetamine is a potent, addictive stimulant affecting the central nervous system. It appears as a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder that dissolves easily in water or alcohol.