Health ministry warns of champagne containing dangerous drug

The health ministry issued a public warning on Friday after authorities in Germany and the Netherlands reported poisoning, which led to one death, from ecstasy found in bottles of Moët & Chandon Ice Impérial champagne.

The three-litre champagne bottle was bought from an online source.

At this stage it is not known how the drug MDMA ended up in the bottles and it cannot be assessed whether there are any more of the bottles containing the dangerous substance in circulation, the ministry said.

“It cannot be ruled out that other bottles of the same brand containing MDMA are in circulation,” it added.

The ministry’s health services were informed about the poisoning incidents by food and feed early warning system (RASFF).

They urged consumers to be wary of the three-litre bottles of Moët & Chandon Ice Impérial with batch code LAJ7QAB6780004 originating in France.

The batch code can be found on the label on the back of the bottle as can be seen in the photo.

MDMA cannot be distinguished externally from the bottles of champagne. But when the contents are emptied, there is a clear difference, the ministry said, and gave some tips on how to identify the specific drug.

According to the health services, liquid MDMA is not frothy, it has a reddish-brown colour, which darkens over time and it has an aniseed aroma.

What to do if you don’t trust a bottle?

– DON’T TASTE ANYTHING! Even dipping a finger in the liquid and tasting it can lead to serious health problems, even without ingestion. Taking a small sip can be fatal.

– If you don’t trust an open bottle, it’s important to leave bottles and glasses untouched.

– Notify the health service immediately.

The health services warned consumers to be careful when consuming beverages whose origin is unclear and to be cautious when shopping privately on the Internet.