GEORGE TOWN (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Penang police are looking for a woman to help in their investigation into tampered premix coffee packets, following several incidents involving consumers who fell ill with extreme fatigue, weakness and dizziness after drinking them.
George Town police chief Assistant Commissioner Anuar Omar said the woman, believed to be in her 40s, gave away a large packet containing tampered premix coffee sachets at a coffee shop in Jelutong, a suburb of the Penang capital of George Town.
"We are looking for the woman to assist us in the investigations and urge the public to contact us if they have any details pertaining to the matter," he told a news conference on Tuesday (Feb 6).
He said there are differences between the packaging seals on the tampered coffee sachets and those on the originals.
Three men and two women were treated at the Penang Hospital between Jan 28 and Jan 30 for extreme fatigue and weakness after consuming the premix coffee.
Mr Anuar said five police reports on the matter have been lodged, and police have recorded a statement from a witness.
He said police are investigating the case under a section of the Penal Code for the adulteration of food or drinks intended for sale.
Separately, national Malaysian police said the drug-laced packets of durian white coffee were meant for distribution by a crime syndicate at local night clubs.
Narcotics Crime Investigation Department at police headquarters, deputy director Kang Chez Chiang told reporters in Klang, Selangor that police are in the midst of identifying the syndicate, The Sun Daily newspaper reported.
"Further tests conducted on the samples showed the coffee mixture packet had been opened and resealed. Also, the resealed packet was heavier by 10g compared with the original weight," he said.
Malaysian Health Minister Dr S. Subramaniam said his ministry had paid a visit to the factory producing the premix coffee and found no evidence of drugs after conducting tests on their products.
The government, he said, was not recalling the product off the shelves of supermarkets.
Singapore's food authority took the precaution of recalling the premix product, identified in some local media reports as Mycafe Penang Durian White Coffee.
