Austrian authorities have arrested a 39-year-old suspect in connection with a case involving rat poison discovered in jars of baby food, police confirmed on Sunday. The incident, which German manufacturer HiPP described as an extortion attempt, saw five 'manipulated' jars of baby food safely recovered last month. These contaminated products were intercepted in Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia before they could reach consumers. However, authorities are still searching for a sixth jar, believed to be in Austria, which has not yet been located.
Arrest and Investigation
'Today we succeeded in arresting a suspect, a 39-year-old man,' a spokesperson for police in the eastern state of Burgenland, where one poisoned jar was found, said. The spokesperson declined to provide further details, citing the need to protect the ongoing investigation. Earlier on Saturday, the tabloid newspaper Kronen Zeitung reported that the man had been arrested in the state of Salzburg, which borders Germany.
Extortion Attempt Details
While HiPP did not elaborate on the nature of the extortion, Austrian newspaper Die Presse reported soon after the case came to light that an email was sent to HiPP in March demanding 2 million euros ($2.3 million) within six days. However, the company did not notice the email until two weeks after that deadline had passed. HiPP later stated that the email was sent to a group address that is not checked frequently.
Public Warning
Authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant and look out for damaged or open lids, missing safety seals, unusual smells, or a white sticker with a red circle on the bottom of the jar. The contaminated jars were part of a batch that included products with specific batch numbers, though HiPP has assured consumers that the vast majority of its products are safe.
