In the case of a champagne bottle filled with ecstasy in a bar in Weiden, customs officials have identified a suspect. A 35-year-old man from Poland was arrested in the Netherlands and extradited to Germany, customs said on Thursday.
The public prosecutor’s office accuses him of negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm and trafficking in narcotics. An investigating judge in Weiden ordered pre-trial detention. The search for possible accomplices continues.
On the night of February 13, 2022, eight people in Weiden drank together from a champagne bottle, which, however, was filled with the liquid ecstasy active ingredient MDMA instead of the noble drink. According to police reports, there was no champagne in the bottle. One man died and seven guests were injured.
Even a small sip can be fatal
A few days later there was a similar incident in the Netherlands in which four people were injured. More such bottles were later discovered in Germany. The Federal Office of Consumer Protection had already issued a warning last year. If the contents of the bottles – unlike usual with champagne – are not sparkling and have a reddish-brown color and an aniseed smell, they should not be drunk.
“Don’t try anything,” the authority warned. Even tasting it without swallowing could lead to serious health problems. “Taking a small sip can be fatal,” the warning said.