The candy contained a potentially lethal 3 grams (0.1 ounces) of methamphetamine (Representational).
Sidney:
A New Zealand charity apologized Wednesday for distributing dozens of pineapple-flavored sweets that contained potentially lethal amounts of methamphetamine.
The Auckland City Mission, which donates packages of essential goods to New Zealanders who cannot afford to buy food, said it first became aware of the problem on Tuesday afternoon when some recipients complained about the unpleasant-tasting sweets.
Three people – a child, a teenager and a charity worker – sought medical treatment after tasting the cooked sweets, although none are currently in hospital, Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin of Auckland police told reporters.
There was no suggestion of wrongdoing on the part of the charity, he added.
“To say we are devastated is an understatement,” the Mission said in a statement.
The candy, which was donated by an unknown member of the public, was tested by the New Zealand Drug Foundation charity, which found it contained a potentially lethal 3 grams (0.1 ounces) of methamphetamine.
“A common dose to swallow is between 10-25mg, so this contaminated lollipop contained up to 300 doses,” said the foundation’s executive director, Sarah Helm.
Police believed the sweets were a byproduct of an international drug trafficking operation and asked that they be turned over to authorities. They are also investigating how the candy entered the country, Baldwin said.
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