Haribo recalls sweets in the Netherlands after traces of cannabis found
Several people, including children, suffered 'health complaints, such as dizziness' after eating sweets from three 1kg packs, the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) in the Netherlands said, adding that a full recall had been undertaken as a precaution.
'How the cannabis ended up in the sweets is still unknown,' a spokesperson for the authority told the Dutch news agency ANP.
'The police are investigating the matter further.'
The authority said the packs concerned were genuine Haribo products.
Dutch police said in a statement that a couple from the Twente region in the east of the country had brought a pack of the cola-bottle-shaped sweets to their local police station after their young children had become 'quite sick' after eating them. Forensic testing established the presence of cannabis.
'We want to know exactly how it got into the candy and, of course, how the bags ended up in the store,' a police spokesperson, Chantal Westerhoff, said.
The sweets are sold in several pack sizes and only those in 1kg bags with a use-by date of January 2026 and a specific product code are affected, Haribo said, adding that a full refund would be paid for all packs returned.
Patrick Tax, vice-president of marketing at Haribo, said the recall concerned 'a limited number of cases' in the east of the country. 'The safety of our consumers is our highest priority and Haribo takes this incident very seriously,' he said.
'This is a live issue and we are working closely with the Dutch authorities to support their investigation and establish the facts,' Tax told Agence France-Presse. The NVWA warned people bluntly: 'Do not eat these sweets.'
In 2023, six children aged between four and 14 were taken ill in The Hague after eating candy containing THC, one of the active ingredients in cannabis, but the sweets concerned were not regular commercial products.
Police said drug smugglers were increasingly using children's sweets as cover and cited several examples of gangs injecting THC into candy. Copies of Haribo's popular gummy bears containing THC can also be found online.
- The Guardian
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Journal
20 hours ago
- The Journal
Irish, Spanish and Dutch/Iranian groups came together to launch dangerous €58m cocaine plan
AN IRISH, SPANISH and Dutch/Iranian crime grouping had come together to run a sophisticated high-tech failed operation to import €58m into Ireland, the Special Criminal Court heard today. In the second day of a sentence hearing before the three judge court sitting in Dublin Inspector Joseph Young was outlining the garda evidence gathered in the case. The accused who have pleaded guilty are: Dutch national Kiumaars Ghabiri (52), Spanish nationals Mario Angel Del Rio Sanz, (45), of no fixed address, Juan Antonio Gallardo Barroso, (56), of no fixed address, Pedro Pablo Ojeda Ortega, (36), of Cadiz; Angel Serran Padilla, (40), of Malaga; Anuar Rahui Chairi, (42), of Marbella; and Serbian national Aleksander Milic, (46). The men are charged with conspiracy to take possession for sale or supply of the cocaine under Section 15a of the Misuse Drugs Act. Today the court heard the nature of the cell structure of the team that came together to carry out the scheme. Young said that he considered the drugs trafficking conspiracy to be based around cooperative cell structures. He said the Dutch/Iranian cell played a role which was specific to the logistical part of the enterprise. Young showed several exhibits of photographs and CCTV of different gang members making their way to Ireland on flights from Lisbon and the UK as well as a ferry from Scotland to Northern Ireland. CCTV was also gathered of them buying equipment and downloaded seized phones which showed them taking selfies on their travels in Ireland, in the UK and in the Netherlands. In one picture there was even tourist pictures of Big Ben in London. In download there was a group photograph, at a location in the Netherlands, gang members were seen sitting smiling around a table. There was also evidence from Inspector Young that the high-powered and stealth style Rigid Inflatable Hulled Boat (RHIB) had been transported into Ireland inside a heavy goods truck. Its three 300 horsepower engines had been purchased by the criminals in Portugal. Images were shown of a rental truck used to transport the RHIB's engines across Europe. Advertisement The RHIB was brought into the country through Rosslare from Dunkirk. Gardaí learned that it was intended to be held in a commercial premises in Swords Co Dublin but later it travelled onto Omagh in Co Tyrone where the haulage company that owned a large articulated truck used in the operation was located. Young told the court that the Spanish crew members were generally hired hands working as specialists in fast boat transfers. Each of the team had separate jobs including, for example, Milic who was making sure the fuel was clean – he was also, the garda said, acting as a 'notary' for the Irish crime group involved in the operation. There were others who were mechanics for the engines as well as other experts. The court was told that the RHIB crew were at sea in very challenging conditions for close to 48 hours. While there were specialist seats for the other crew members, Milic was forced to sit elsewhere in the high speed craft and this caused him to require dental treatment on his return. Ultimately the court was told the RHIB never met the mothership Cool Explorer due to the bad weather conditions. It traveled onto its ultimate destination of St Petersburg but dumped the drugs near Jutland on the coast of Denmark. The drugs found there had a GPS tracker on board which showed that it matched the Cool Explorer's route. Gardaí also found screenshots pictures in the phone gallery of devices used by the gang arrested by the detectives in Cork that showed geolocation images of mapping that included pins of locations off Denmark. Other data on the phones seized by the gardaí were videos of reconnaissance of locations by gang members. During cross examination by Senior Counsel Elizabeth O'Connell, who is representing Mario Angel Del Rio Sanz, Young described the nature of the crime as being 'failure in attempt but not failure in the intent.' When the barrister put it to the Inspector that his client was offered a payment of €15,000 to work in the trafficking operation he said he agreed that the Spanish crew members were 'hired for a fee'. The State's evidence has ended and the defence barristers will continue their mitigation tomorrow before the court will adjourn to a sentencing date. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The 42
a day ago
- The 42
Van der Poel drops out of Tour de France due to pneumonia
DUTCH RIDER MATHIEU van der Poel has pulled out of the Tour de France six days before the end of the race, because he is suffering from pneumonia, his team Alpecin said on Tuesday. The 2023 world champion was taken to hospital on Monday after cold symptoms worsened. 'Mathieu had been showing symptoms of a cold for several days, but yesterday afternoon his condition deteriorated significantly. In the evening, he developed a fever and was taken to Narbonne hospital for tests,' the Belgian team said. 'Medical tests revealed that Mathieu was suffering from pneumonia. In consultation with the medical staff, it was decided that he cannot continue the race. His health is the priority.' Advertisement Van der Poel, 30, won the second stage of this year's Tour but had fallen one hour and 40 minutes behind overall leader Tadej Pogacar by the end of Sunday's 15th stage. – © AFP 2025
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Bags of cocaine from cargo ship had GPS tags, Special Criminal Court hears
GPS-tagged bags of cocaine, floating into Denmark's beaches, are believed to be linked to a foiled plot by 10 men arrested in West Cork to collect drugs from a ship called the Cool Explorer. A rigid inflatable boat (Rib), carrying three 300 horsepower engines and large quantities of fuel, tried to meet a Panama-flagged ship called the Cool Explorer off the UK coast in March 2024, the State alleges. That ship, a legitimate cargo vessel carrying legitimate cargo, was also believed to have been carrying at least 850kg of cocaine with a street value of between €58m and €59m. That cocaine was later washed into beaches near the Danish town of Sjællands Odde. The foiled alleged drug trafficking operation was intercepted by Irish authorities and 10 men were arrested for conspiracy to import drugs. Seven of the 10 men have now pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court. They are Dutch national Kiumaars Ghabiri, aged 52, Spanish nationals Mario Angel Del Rio Sanz, aged 45, of no fixed address, Juan Antonio Gallardo Barroso, aged 56, of no fixed address, Pedro Pablo Ojeda Ortega, aged 36, of Cadiz; Angel Serran Padilla, aged 40, of Malaga; Anuar Rahui Chairi, aged 42, of Marbella; and Serbian national Aleksander Milic, aged 46. Tessa White, prosecuting counsel for the State, said that an overview of the conspiracy would first be given at the Special Criminal Court for the seven men's sentence hearings. More detail will be heard on Tuesday. Inspector Joseph Young of Bandon Garda Station gave evidence in the Special Criminal Court on Monday. Investigation At a routine checkpoint at Gully outside Bandon on February 27, 2024, gardaí stopped a vehicle with two individuals — a foreign national and an Irish national. Gardaí noticed one of the men was 'nervous and evasive' and elected to carry out a search, and the men were subsequently brought to Bandon garda station, Insp Young said. A notepad was found in the vehicle, which contained an entry about a pier in Roscarbery in West Cork and a second pier called Dromadoon near Skibbereen. GPS coordinates for both were recorded. Six B&Bs were also noted, with the times of how long it would take to travel from each to the two piers. On March 12, 2024, gardaí received reports of suspicious activity at Tragumna pier in West Cork. Tragumna is between the two piers, which had their names and GPS coordinates recorded in the notebook. Tragumna is about 6k south of Skibbereen town and 15k from Leap village, the court heard. An articulated truck had been seen reversing down the pier, and a campervan and other vehicles were observed operating suspiciously nearby, Insp Young said. Gardaí were also monitoring two vehicles — a black Land Rover Discovery vehicle and a white campervan — initially seen outside a popular West Cork hotel. One man linked to the vehicles checked into the hotel on March 12 using a Rotterdam-based credit card. Gardaí suspected a criminal enterprise was working to import drugs at this stage, Insp Young said. Some weeks earlier, the Panamanian flagged Cool Explorer refrigerated cargo vessel left Ecuador destined for St Petersburg, Russia, due to arrive on March 17, 2024. The ship was a legitimate cargo vessel carrying legitimate cargo, Insp Young said. The ship was to pass by Lands End in the south of the UK around March, 12, 2024. On March 14 – 15, the Cool Explorer passed an area of Denmark called Sjællands Odde on the northwestern tip of the main island of Zealand. Some 840kg of cocaine, worth an estimated €58m to €59m was discovered subsequently washed up on beaches in the area. GPS units were attached to the bags of cocaine, which matched the coordinates used by the Cool Explorer, the court heard. Juan Antonio Gallardo arriving at Midleton Courthouse, Co Cork, last year. Picture: Larry Cummins Activity in Cork Three vehicles were observed by gardaí at Tragumna pier acting suspiciously after midnight on March 14. A campervan was observed leaving an Airbnb in the village of Leap and travelling towards Tragumna. The black Land Rover and the Bulgarian-registered blue Scalia articulated truck were also seen approaching the pier. At 5.10am, a black Rib was seen approaching the pier with people on board. The articulated truck had reversed down the pier just before the Rib's arrival. People alighted from three different vehicles, and then people from the rib and the pier began passing multiple hold all bags from the rib to the pier, Insp Young said. A trailer was then winched from the back of the articulated truck, and the Rib was loaded onto it. But the men 'had some difficulty' with the manoeuvre, and the back of the boat and its engines were 'still sticking out of the back' of the articulated truck after it was loaded. At 7.20am, the white campervan gardaí had been watching was interdicted. Five Spaniards — including four who have pleaded guilty — Mr Ortega, Mr Chairi, Mr Barroso, Mr Padilla and one Serbian, Mr Milic — were arrested from the vehicle. The rest of the 10 men were arrested minutes later at a second interdiction at Tragumna pier at 7.25am. The Rib was in the back of the Scania truck with the 'intention to rendezvous with the Cool Explorer', Ms White said. Insp Young agreed that this was for an 'at sea' drop off. The rendezvous was to take place close to the UK, Ms White said. The articulated truck had Bulgarian plates and was registered to a company in Northern Ireland which had a sister company in Bulgaria. The campervan had been hired from a legitimate company in the Armagh area. It was driven south by one of the accused who said he was going to Cork and Kerry with family for the week. The Land Rover had been stolen some months earlier in the UK, and had fake number plates. A 'significant amount' of high-end nautical clothing and nautical equipment and its receipts were seized from the vehicles and an AirBnB. It had been bought in a nautical shop in Cork city, a Decathlon in Belfast, and on the UK mainland. Dry suits and nautical technology, including thermal imaging binoculars, two-way radios, and Meridiam satellite phones, were seized. Some 50 devices were seized in total, including multiple phones. A high frequency detector, known as a boat detector to law enforcement, was also seized. Gary Delaney, a former naval officer, compiled a report on the Rib. It had three 300 horsepower Yamaha engines onboard and a very large quantity of fuel. Its control panels and radar dome — which are generally white — had been spray painted black or darkened, Insp Young said. While such a vessel would usually have lights to the front and rear — only one was present and was not very visible. VHF radio would usually be found on board, but this was not present. No radar reflector had been fitted, something which is usually standard in a vessel of that type. The purpose of the Rib seemed to be detecting while not being detected, Mr Delaney's report noted. A Garmin GPS device was on the Rib's console, and two additional handheld Garmin devices were found in Leap, which were also examined by Mr Delaney. Aleksander Milic arriving at Midleton Courthouse, Co Cork, last year. Picture: Larry Cummins He found that the Rib had been at Tragumna pier around 5am on March 12, 2024, which tallied with reports of suspicious activity there that morning. Some 27 waypoints — which record geographic coordinates to assist with navigation — were found in the console of the Rib. The waypoints showed that the Rib had made a 985k journey in just under 48 hours. It showed a travel path towards the Cool Explorer and that it changed its course twice to seemingly intercept the Cool Explorer's passage. This had been noted near Lizard Point off the south west coast of the UK, Ms White noted, where the RIB allegedly tried to meet the larger ship. But the boat then made its way back to Tragumna on March 14, the court heard. Sentence hearings, in front of Justice Karen O'Connor, Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin, and Judge Marie Keane, are to continue at 10.30am tomorrow in the Special Criminal Court. But three men plan to contest the charge at trial. The only Irish national arrested as part of the operation, Sean Curran, aged 38, with an address at Carrickyheenan, Aughnacloy, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, is one of three men waiting for a trial date. He is on bail and is to appear again on Monday at the Special Criminal Court when a trial date may be set. Ali Ghasemi Mazidi, aged 50, with an address in the Netherlands, and Raul Tabares Garcia, aged 48, of Cadiz in Spain are to appear via videolink on Monday for a trial date. These three men's trials are expected to take some six to eight weeks. The 10 men are charged with conspiring with one another to import controlled drugs over €13,000 on dates between February 27 and March 14, 2024, both dates inclusive. The alleged offence is contrary to Section 15 B(1) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977. Gardaí arrested the 10 men in March last year during operations in the villages of Tragumna and Leap near Skibbereen in West Cork, where an off-road vehicle, camper van, articulated truck, and rigid inflatable boat were seized as part of the suspected drug smuggling operation. Read More Spanish man pleads guilty to conspiring to smuggle large quantity of drugs into Ireland
