Mistaking the substance for sherbet, the children consumed the Class A drug – before one told a teacher that she was handed a package with a ‘bad taste’ – prompting a call to the police
A four-year-old girl was caught unwittingly handing out cocaine to her classmates – with some consuming the Class A drug before police raced to the scene. The pupils had mistaken the substance for sherbet until one of them told a teacher that she was handed a package with a “bad taste”, prompting a call to officers.
It was found that the four-year-old had dished 16 small packets to fellow pupils, which were later confirmed to be the Class A drug. A search through her backpack uncovered six more packets, as well as an extra nine bags under the chair where she was sitting. Seven were found sealed, while eight had been partially consumed. When questioned, the girl said her father gave her the substance.
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While the teacher was calling the authorities, the girl’s father arrived at the school on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on March 21, and snatched one of the packets from her hand, according to reports. He then fled the scene and called his brother to pick up his daughter.
Officers arrived, and shortly after, the girl’s uncle turned up. He was allegedly rude to the child protection counsellors providing assistance to the affected students. Despite being ordered not to, the uncle took the girl out of the school and was arrested by the police.
Lt Adenilson de Oliveira Rocha said: “The Military Police worked together with the Civil Police and, as soon as we got hold of this substance, we sent it for analysis and the expert report confirmed it was cocaine.” Eighteen students were sent to a nearby hospital to undergo tests.
Two tests were inconclusive and the others came up negative for cocaine toxicity, which can occur within minutes to hours of excessive cocaine use, with patients at risk of dying suddenly.
The police carried out a raid on a nearby home the following night where they seized 300 packets of cocaine similar to those found in the school, according to the authorities. They also confiscated six bags of cannabis and two mobile phones.
A 21-year-old man was arrested for drug trafficking at the scene. The suspect told officers that he sold each packet for £4 (BRL 30). Officers have yet to reveal the suspect’s identity. The investigation continues.
As a major player in the illegal drug trade, drug-related crimes have long been an issue in Brazil, with many cases involving illegal substances also being linked to violent crimes, including homicide. Brazil’s cocaine and cannabis markets play a major role in tense relations between drug factions and the police.
The South American country decriminalised the possession of small amounts of Class C drug cannabis (up to 40g or 6 female plants), but selling, transporting, and trafficking Class A drugs like cocaine remain criminal acts punishable by jail terms and fines, with sentences ranging from 5 to 15 years.
In 2019, Brazil was named the world’s second largest consumer market for cocaine. Tackling the use of the Class A drug, particularly crack cocaine, has since been considered as a matter of “health emergency”.
Last year, Marine biologists tested 13 Brazilian sharp nose sharks found off the shores near Rio de Janeiro, and discovered they had tested positive for high levels of cocaine in their muscles and livers – with concentrations as much as 100 times higher than previously reported for other aquatic creatures.
