Italians ban tea from Peru with cocaine content
ITALIAN police have ordered that a Peruvian coca tea be removed from the shelves, after it was found to contain significant levels of cocaine.
The tea, which has been stocked in Italy for years, was imported from Peru by a Milan-based wholesaler. Officials made a cup of the tea, and then tested the drinker’s blood levels. High levels of cocaine were found in the bloodstream.
The discovery was made earlier this month after a 38-year old bus driver from Genoa named Roberto tested positive for the illegal stimulant after undergoing a routine drugs test.
The driver insisted he had not taken cocaine and had an exemplary 10 years of service at the Genovese transport authority, Amt.
He told the company doctor that the reason he might have failed his test was because the day before he had drunk a large cup of the tea, which he often bought from an ethnic food store.
The company doctor asked him to bring two tea bags to his office, after which he made himself a brew and drank it.
The next day the doctor performed a drugs test on himself and tested positive for cocaine.
Italy’s food police, Nas, tested the tea and confirmed the doctor’s findings. Police said it was made with small quantities of cocaine leaves and contained not insignificant amounts of cocaine hydrochloride.
The owner of the shop was not charged with any crime, but the tea has now been removed. Police are also investigating the Peruvian importer who was bringing the tea into the country.