Police probe suspicious bottled drinks distributed outside school sports day in Wong Tai Sin

Police have launched an investigation after free bottled sports drinks, suspected of being tampered with, were distributed to students outside a secondary school athletic meet in Wong Tai Sin on Tuesday afternoon, leaving several feeling unwell.

Officers were alerted shortly after 2pm today when a parent reported that an unknown individual had set up an impromptu stall outside Hammer Hill Road Sports Ground, handing out bottled beverages to students during their lunch break. 

Several students subsequently felt ill after consuming the drinks, prompting school authorities to intervene.

By the time police arrived at the venue, the individual responsible for distributing the beverages had already departed. 

Officers immediately collected the drink bottles handed over by students for laboratory testing and forensic examination.

During a subsequent search of the surrounding area, investigators discovered an additional discarded plastic bottle inside a nearby rubbish bin, which was also seized as evidence. 

The case has been classified for follow-up and handed over to the Wong Tai Sin District Criminal Investigation Team.

The incident came to wider public attention after a student participant recounted the ordeal on social media, describing the episode as deeply alarming. 

According to the account, numerous students accepted the bottled sports drinks being handed out freely outside the sports ground while heading out for lunch.

Concern escalated rapidly after several students noticed what appeared to be tiny needle-like puncture holes on the surface of the plastic bottles, raising fears that an unidentified liquid had been deliberately injected into the containers. 

Upon being notified of the anomaly, teachers on-site took swift precautionary action, confiscating all distributed bottles from students to prevent further consumption.

School urges vigilance and confiscates damaged bottles

Maryknoll Secondary School confirmed in a statement on Tuesday that an external vendor had distributed bottled beverages to students outside the sports ground during the athletic meet. 

The school stated that suspected damage had been identified on the plastic packaging of some bottles.

Prioritizing student health and safety above all else, school authorities immediately appealed to students not to consume the beverages and retrieved all handed-out bottles. 

The school added that it was cooperating fully with the ongoing police investigation and had notified parents so they could closely monitor their children's well-being.

Education Bureau mobilizes support and crisis mechanism

The Education Bureau responded that it was deeply concerned by the incident and had made immediate contact with the school to ascertain the facts.

Officials noted that the school had activated its crisis management team to handle the aftermath, keep parents informed, and provide necessary support. 

The bureau added that it would maintain close communication with school administrators to offer appropriate advice and resources while the police investigation continued.

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