GEORGE TOWN, Feb 6 — The blood and urine samples taken from two Nepali security guards have been found to contain traces of a synthetic narcotic, police said tonight amid speculation that the premixed coffee they consumed were laced with drugs.
Penang northeast district police chief Assistant Commissioner Anuar Omar said the test results from the Chemistry Department received this evening verified that the samples contained drugs that were available in the market, but were rare among drug users.
“The drugs give the same effect as experienced by those who drank the coffee, which leaves them unconscious and fatigued.
“Police are still waiting for the chemistry report on the other victims and we believe we will know the results soon,” he told national news wire Bernama when contacted.
Police are searching for a local woman in her 40s whom they suspect have been distributing drug-laced premixed coffee in public around the Jelutong area at the end of January.
At least seven people, including the two male Nepali security guards, have been hospitalised after consuming two different types of premixed coffee manufactured by My Cafe Marketing and Trading Sdn Bhd in the last two weeks.
Sachets of the locally-made coffee, which were said to have been given to the seven, were found to have been opened and a foreign substance added to the mix, before being resealed.
Police are investigating the case under Section 272 of the Penal Code, which criminalises the adulteration of food or drink which is intended for sale and carries a jail sentence of up to six months or a fine of RM2,000 or both.
