Hundreds of lollies were donated to a charity and sent out to families… now authorities are begging nobody eat them after a deadly discovery in the wrappers

New Zealand authorities are urging Kiwis not to eat certain brands of lollipops after drug tests showed the substance contained potentially lethal levels of methamphetamine.

The NZ Drug Foundation conducted a drug test on a white lollipop found inside a Rinda brand pineapple sweet. It was found to contain three grams of the illegal drug.

The test was conducted after a mother unknowingly gave her child a lollipop laced with meth, which she then immediately spat out.

“A typical dose to swallow is between 10 and 25mg, so this contaminated lollipop contained up to 300 doses,” said Sarah Helm, NZDF chief executive.

‘Swallowing this much methamphetamine is extremely dangerous and can result in death.’

The sweets were distributed by the Auckland City Mission after being donated as part of food parcels.

Helen Robinson, director of Auckland City Mission, said she was devastated.

They believe 300 to 400 people have received the packages and are working urgently to reach them.

“The mission only accepts commercially produced food … and the lollipops looked like that when they were donated,” she said.

“Our staff were quite right to believe that this was a safe lollipop. It was in a sealed, sealed package and the lollipops were individually wrapped.”

Mrs Robinson said she knew of eight families affected. No illnesses or injuries have been reported.

According to the NZDF, the discovery of the sweets justifies their legalised drug control system and communications networks.

Deputy director Ben Birks-Ang said there may be more sweets in circulation, suggesting they are part of a failed drug trafficking operation.

“We know that it is common practice internationally to disguise substances as something else and then smuggle them,” he said.