Sabotage suspected after painkiller tablets mix-up

Customers have been urged to return any packets to a pharmacy after five cases were reported of other manufacturers’ medicines being found in Nurofen Plus boxes.

Some packs were found to contain strips of the potentially harmful anti-psychotic medicine, Seroquel XL.

A spokesman for Nurofen Plus manufacturer Reckitt Benckiser (UK) Ltd said: “Sabotage is suspected and we are working with the police on a formal investigation to find the person or persons responsible. Distribution of Nurofen Plus has been halted at this time.”

The medical director for Nurofen Plus, Dr Aomesh Bhatt, added: “We are taking this matter extremely seriously and have decided to recall all packs of Nurofen Plus as the most prudent course of action.

“We’re asking consumers to return any packs of Nurofen Plus to a pharmacy. No other Nurofen products are affected or being recalled.”

The police investigation began on Thursday after Seroquel XL was found in three packs of Nurofen Plus, which had each been bought in different areas of London.

Yesterday two more suspicious packets were found. One contained Seroquel XL and the other contained 100mg capsules of the Pfizer product, Neurontin.