A Hong Kong man has been arrested after a nine-year-old boy drank a bottle of soft drink suspected to contain urine.
Police said on Monday that they had received reports in late July about urine being added to Coca-Cola Plus and 7Up drinks found in multiple supermarkets in Sham Shui Po, Mong Kok, and Wan Chai over the past year.
One case involved a nine-year-old boy who felt unwell after consuming a suspected contaminated drink and sought medical attention at a hospital.
Police identified the suspect after reviewing surveillance camera footage and other intelligence. They arrested a 63-year-old unemployed man on Saturday at his residence in Sham Shui Po, where officers found items linked to the case, including the clothing and backpack the suspect allegedly used during the crime.
According to police, the suspect had an “unpleasant” encounter with staff members of a supermarket and sought revenge. The force did not name which supermarkets were affected.
The suspect will appear at Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts on Tuesday to face charges, including administering poison with intent to injure. The maximum penalty for this offence is three years’ imprisonment.
“The nature of the case is serious. It not only concerns food safety but is also a despicable act. The police are highly concerned about this case,” said Chief Inspector Alex Yau of the West Kowloon Crime Bureau.
A total of seven bottles of soft drinks were tested, Yau said, adding that most were found during routine inspections. Police said test results indicated the samples may contain urine, but ruled out the presence of poison.
Yau reminded the public to check that drink bottle caps have not been opened before purchase and to pay attention to the colour and volume of the drink to spot any irregularities.
