A plastic egg a 5-year-old boy in Limavady, Northern Ireland, thought was a toy turned out to contain an illegal drug.
The Belfast Telegraph reported that the boy was playing with his 8-year-old brother when he saw the yellow plastic shell of a Kinder Surprise egg, a popular toy across the world that consists of a plastic egg covered in chocolate. Inside the egg is usually a small toy.
The egg has been banned in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration for containing nonedible components that could be hazardous to health.
"When the child opened the plastic section, hidden within was a small sealed plastic bag containing a white powder," said Alan Robinson, Limavady Democratic Unionist Party councillor. "Having passed the contents to the police, the family have told me that they have informed them that it contained an illegal drug."
Inspector Colin Shaw, of Limavady's Police Service of Northern Ireland, said in a Monday Facebook post the contents and the egg would be disposed of by police.
"This incident is of the uppermost concern for all of us. Tackling the use and supply of illegal drugs is a priority for us and the possibility that something so potentially dangerous has been discarded where children could find it is deeply concerning.
"I don't want members of the local community to find drugs on their street, however this incident just reminds us that criminals have no regard whatsoever for the safety of local residents, and I am thankful that this child had the sense to speak to an adult about what he discovered," Shaw said.
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