Police issue warning after spiked drink reported at nightclub in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo say they're investigating an incident at a local nightclub and are issuing "a generic warning to the public" about drinks being spiked.
Police did not say exactly where or when the recent incident transpired, saying in a news release Thursday only that "a female patron at a local nightclub reported seeing a foreign substance in her drink."
"The patron immediately stopped drinking it and alerted the staff at the nightclub, who in turn called the police," the news release reads.
The woman did not suffer any adverse reactions or require medical attention, and the investigation is ongoing, police said.
"We are issuing this warning out of an abundance of caution," said Const. Gary O'Brien, in the release.
"The patron did the correct thing, which allowed our officers to initiate an investigation."
Police are reminding the public that drinks can be spiked anywhere they are served, and people should be on the lookout for signs their drink has been spiked, such as "if it begins to look muddy or cloudy and excessive bubbles begin to form," according to Nanaimo RCMP.
Most commonly, criminals spike drinks with GHB, also known as the "date rape drug," police said.
"The effects vary, but you may instantly begin to feel very drunk or sleepy, confused or disoriented," O'Brien said. "You could also feel dizzy and may have trouble standing or walking. If you suspect that your drink has been spiked, alert your friends, do not allow yourself to become isolated and seek medical aid immediately."
Nanaimo RCMP asked anyone with information on drinks being spiked in the city to contact their non-emergency line at 250-754-2345.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
5 rescued after avalanche triggered north of Whistler, B.C. RCMP say
Emergency crews and heli-skiing staff helped rescue five people who were caught up in a backcountry avalanche north of Whistler, B.C., on Monday morning.
Quebec fugitive killed in Mexican resort town, RCMP say
RCMP are confirming that a fugitive, Mathieu Belanger, wanted by Quebec provincial police has died in Mexico, in what local media are calling a murder.
Bill Clinton hospitalized with a fever but in good spirits, spokesperson says
Former President Bill Clinton was admitted Monday to Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington after developing a fever.
Trump again calls to buy Greenland after eyeing Canada and the Panama Canal
First it was Canada, then the Panama Canal. Now, Donald Trump again wants Greenland. The president-elect is renewing unsuccessful calls he made during his first term for the U.S. to buy Greenland from Denmark, adding to the list of allied countries with which he's picking fights even before taking office.
UN investigative team says Syria's new authorities 'very receptive' to probe of Assad war crimes
The U.N. organization assisting in investigating the most serious crimes in Syria said Monday the country’s new authorities were “very receptive” to its request for cooperation during a just-concluded visit to Damascus, and it is preparing to deploy.
Pioneering Métis human rights advocate Muriel Stanley Venne dies at 87
Muriel Stanley Venne, a trail-blazing Métis woman known for her Indigenous rights advocacy, has died at 87.
King Charles ends royal warrants for Ben & Jerry's owner Unilever and Cadbury chocolatiers
King Charles III has ended royal warrants for Cadbury and Unilever, which owns brands including Marmite and Ben & Jerry’s, in a blow to the household names.
Man faces murder charges in death of woman who was lit on fire in New York City subway
A man is facing murder charges in New York City for allegedly setting a woman on fire inside a subway train and then watching her die after she was engulfed in flames, police said Monday.
Canada regulator sues Rogers for alleged misleading claims about data offering
Canada's antitrust regulator said on Monday it was suing Rogers Communications Inc, for allegedly misleading consumers about offering unlimited data under some phone plans.