Australian woman charged for adding snail poison to lover's curry at work

An Australian woman has been charged with adding snail poison to her colleague's food. Investigators said the incident took place at a business in Oldbury, south of Perth, in February, Nine News reported. The victim noticed something green in her food, and only tasted it a bit to check what was wrong. But her tongue went numb instantly.

The 43-year-old woman who has been arrested in the matter was in a relationship with the 58-year-old colleague. The victim had brought some curry to work to share with her colleagues. They ate it in the morning without any issues. However, the police said that the 43-year-old woman went into a chemical storage shed and brought back something with her to the staff lunchroom.

The victim returned to the room and noticed bright granules in the curry. She suspected something was wrong but tasted some of it. WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch said her tongue went numb and she instantly took action. “We’re just very thankful that the person who tasted the curry was aware that something wasn’t quite right - they clearly had some early adverse effects to that,” he said.

The curry was tested, and the granules were revealed to be snail pellets containing metaldehyde. It is a common pesticide farmers use to control slugs and snails. The woman was arrested in Golden Bay on October 8. She has been charged with an unlawful act with intent to harm, specifically endangering the life, health, or safety of another person.

What is metaldehyde?

Snail pellets containing metaldehyde are synthetic chemical baits designed which are commonly used to eliminate garden pests like slugs and snails. Metaldehyde is a powerful neurotoxin and highly poisonous to dogs, cats, and livestock. Its scent and flavour often attract animals. Symptoms begin to show up within 30 to 180 minutes, including severe muscle tremors, and it can also cause fatal organ failure. Due to these risks, metaldehyde-based pellets have been banned or heavily restricted in several places.