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One person has died and another 12 have been poisoned after Moët & Chandon bottles were spiked with liquid ecstasy in Europe.
Moët & Chandon Imperial Ice bottles have been being recalled en-masse over fears they might have been contaminated with potentially lethal doses of the class-A drug MDMA, also known as ecstasy.
Harald Georg Z, aged 52, died after drinking a glass of the spiked champagne, with eight others poisoned at a restaurant in Weiden, Germany, The Times reports.
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Authorities believe drug smugglers have been lacing the luxury champagne with drugs.
Four champagne-lovers in the Netherlands have also taken ill after drinking the corrupted bubbly, which appears to have come from $480 bottles of Moët & Chandon Imperial Ice magnums.
Dutch health authorities are now warning champagne guzzlers to tread lightly while investigators trace the contamination.
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"Touching and/or drinking the contents of the bottles is life-threatening," the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority said.
"It is not known how the MDMA ended up in these bottles," the statement continued, adding that all the spiked bottles were bought on an unknown website.
"The [Dutch health authority] is therefore unable to estimate whether there are any more of these bottles containing the hazardous substance in circulation.
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"It cannot be ruled out that there are other bottles of the same brand in circulation that also contain MDMA."
Champagne drinkers have been warned to watch out for the poisoned bottles.
While the bottles look no different from the outside, health authorities have noted marked differences once the drink has been poured.
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Authorities have warned those who drink champagne to be on the look out champagne that doesn't actually fizz, which has a reddish-brown colour that darkens over time, and has an anise scent.
If you have purchased champagne that ticks these boxes, authorities have warned against tasting or even touching the liquid.
"Even dipping a fingertip in the liquid and tasting it can lead to serious health problems, even without swallowing," the health authority warned.
"Taking a small sip can be fatal."
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The three-litre bottles in question have lot number LAJ7QAB6780004.
Topics: Food And Drink, Drugs, News
Rachel Lang