KUALA LUMPUR: Confectionery manufacturer Rinda Food Industries Sdn Bhd said that its sweets, which were found to contain lethal amounts of methamphetamine in New Zealand, may have been tampered with.
The company's general manager, Steven Teh, said they are leaving the investigation to New Zealand authorities and will cooperate closely with law enforcement and other relevant agencies.
"We recognise the seriousness of this situation and understand the concerns it raises," he said in a statement.
"Our company is dedicated to ensuring that our products meet the highest safety and regulatory standards.
Earlier, it was reported that pineapple sweets dished out by a New Zealand charity have tested positive for potentially lethal amounts of methamphetamine sparking an urgent race to remove them from the streets.
Anti-poverty charity Auckland City Mission raised the alarm after discovering a batch of the sweets was contaminated with the highly addictive and illegal narcotic, police said.
"An investigation is underway and police are treating the matter as a priority given the risk to the public."
The New Zealand Drug Foundation said a test sample of an innocuous-looking piece of white candy in a bright yellow wrapper indicated it contained methamphetamine.
Foundation spokeswoman Sarah Helm said the tested sweet contained approximately three grams of meth – hundreds of times greater than the common dose taken by users.
"Swallowing that much methamphetamine is extremely dangerous and could result in death."