A tragic incident unfolded in New Zealand when a young man, Aiden Sagala, 21, died in excruciating pain after consuming a mislabeled can of Canadian Honey Bear Beer that contained methamphetamine.

Sagala was unknowingly handed a case of what appeared to be beer, but was actually liquid methamphetamine, by his boss, Himatjit ‘Jimmy’ Singh Kahlon, on March 2, 2023.

Upon returning home from work, Sagala and his brother-in-law, Billy Anelusi, decided to try two cans from the case.

After just one sip, Sagala realized something was amiss. According to a CTV News investigation, he described the taste as resembling “sea salt mixed with chemicals.”

Anelusi, who noted that his own drink tasted normal, swapped cans with Sagala and sampled it, only to immediately spit it out without ingesting any.

While Anelusi remained unharmed, Sagala’s condition rapidly deteriorated. He became agitated and aggressive, crying out in despair, “I want my mom, I’m dying,” as reported by the news outlet.

Sagala’s face turned blue and his sister performed CPR on him. She called 911 but it took paramedics an hour to arrive. 

He was transported to a nearby hospital in Auckland, but became comatose and died five days later. The medical examiner determined he died of organ failure caused by a meth overdose.

Police determined the can of beer that Sagala had consumed contained no alcohol at all and was actually pure liquid methamphetamine, prompting a massive two-year investigation that has now resulted in a $200million drug bust. 

Aiden Sagala, 21, (pictured) died in March 2023 after unknowingly drinking an imported can of Canadian Honey Bear Beer that had been filled with methamphetamine

Police say 28,800 cans labelled as Honey Bear Beer were imported from Toronto, Canada to New Zealand. Some of those cans did hold beer, while others were disguising liquid meth

Officers seized around 700 kilograms of liquid meth that had been disguised as other beverages from a storage unit in Auckland

Investigators traced Sagala’s beer back to a storage unit in Auckland and carried out a raid of the facility.

Officers seized around 700 kilograms of liquid meth that had been disguised as other beverages including Honey Bear Beer, coconut water and kombucha.

The raid also unveiled buckets of crystal meth. Police believed the imported liquid meth was being crystalized in the facility and then prepped for sale.

Investigators estimate the meth seized in the raid was worth around $210,000,000.

Police determined that local supermarket owner Baltej Singh had been importing large amounts of liquid meth for several years, CTV reported.

Singh imported the beer from Canada, kombucha from the US and coconut water from India, according to police.

Investigators believe Sagala’s boss, Kahlon, helped with the distribution process. He was caught on camera carrying cans out of the unit, surveillance footage showed.

Some of the cans in the unit did actually contain beer, like the one Anelusi opened.

Kahlon would give away the untainted beer and, according to police, left a can of meth in the case he gave Sagala without realizing it.

Himatjit ‘Jimmy’ Singh Kahlon (pictured) helped with the distribution process. He was caught on camera carrying cans out of the unit, surveillance footage showed. Kahlon was convicted of manslaughter and possession for supply of methamphetamine, and jailed for 21 years

Police determined that local supermarket owner Baltej Singh (pictured) was the ‘mastermind’ behind the drug network. He was found guilty of multiple drugs offences in February and sentenced to 22 years behind bars

Kahlon was arrested and charged with manslaughter in connection to Sagala’s death, as well as possession for supply of methamphetamine. 

He has since been convicted and sentenced to 21 years in prison, according to New Zealand police.

Singh, believed to be the ‘mastermind’ behind the drug network, was charged with running the import operation. He was found guilty of multiple drugs offences in February and sentenced to 22 years behind bars. 

He was not charged in Sagala’s death, but will still be ineligible for parole for at least 10 years, India Today reported.

Singh, originally from India, is the nephew of Satwant Singh, the assassin convicted of killing former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

He also has reportedly been linked to pro-Khalistan activities in New Zealand. 

The Khalistan movement is a campaign seeking to create a separate Sikh-majority sovereign state in India and is considered a security threat by the Indian government.

New Zealand police have also seized $36million worth of properties linked to the importation and supply of meth.

Aiden Sagala died of organ failure caused by a meth overdose

The raid also unveiled buckets of crystal meth. Police believed the imported liquid meth was being crystalized in the facility and then prepped for sale 

Investigators estimate the meth seized in the raid was worth around $210,000,000

Officers seized four residential and commercial rural properties connected to the operation, including a clandestine laboratory. Stockpiles of meth were also found inside the properties. 

‘Police have been quietly focused on unpicking the financial activities of this group,’ Detective Inspector Chris Allan said in a Wednesday press release obtained by The Daily Mail.

‘Given the scale of this criminal enterprise, this proceeding is an indication of the determination New Zealand Police have to investigate, disrupt and dismantle organized crime.

‘This restraint represents significant capital that otherwise would have been at the disposal of the group to carry out further drug imports and create further harm in the community, until now.’

He vowed that officers will continue to investigate drug networks and aim to ‘remove the unlawful benefits from those who engage in significant criminal activity.’