Food Bank Handed Out Potentially Lethal Doses Of Meth Disguised As Candy

By Bill Galluccio

August 14, 2024

Unrecognizable food bank volunteers unpack donation box
Photo: SDI Productions / iStock / Getty Images

A food bank in Auckland, New Zealand, inadvertently distributed methamphetamine disguised as candy. The charity, Auckland City Mission, said a member of the public donated the pineapple-flavored candies, which were sealed in a retail-sized bag. The candies were donated about six weeks ago.

However, the candies were actually bricks of methamphetamine and contained a potentially lethal dose if ingested.

Law enforcement officials believe that the candies were donated inadvertently by somebody involved in trafficking illegal drugs, as each three-gram piece of candy had a street value of around $600.

Officials said eight families, including at least one child, had eaten the candies. Three people, including one staff member and one child, had to be hospitalized but have since been released.

Authorities have recovered 16 pieces of candy but are unsure how many were handed out by the food bank.

Auckland City Mission said it is cooperating with the police investigation and is trying to contact around 400 people who may have been given the candies with their food.

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