On the afternoon of 3/2, the Tiantai County Public Security Bureau issued a statement clarifying that a recent poisoning incident was not a case of domestic poisoning, but rather a conspiracy by a couple to extort a large sum of money. The couple allegedly purchased napa cabbage online, then intentionally induced poisoning symptoms to threaten the e-commerce platform or the seller for compensation.

The incident first came to public attention on 23/1 when Zhejiang provincial television reported that a couple in Tiantai county, Taizhou city, was hospitalized after consuming napa cabbage bought online. The woman, surnamed Yang, and her husband, surnamed Chen, stated that doctors diagnosed them with rat poison intoxication, leading to a blood clotting disorder. By 31/1, both were still receiving hospital treatment, with toxins not yet fully eliminated from their blood.

Prior to this, Ms. Yang shared screenshots of a conversation with the store's customer service, where the seller denied any rat poison in the napa cabbage. On 12/1, the couple reported the incident to the police, accusing the online seller of "producing and selling toxic food". Police investigating their home found rat poison in the napa cabbage, leading the Tiantai County Public Security Bureau to accept their complaint.

In an interview, Ms. Yang stated she washed the vegetables two times with clean water, then boiled and ate them. Photo: CCTV

The case quickly garnered significant public attention. Some media outlets published unverified information, stating that "preliminary police investigation confirmed the source of the poison was the seller, who used recycled old newspapers contaminated with rat poison to pack the napa cabbage to reduce costs." This directly attributed blame to the seller, inciting public outrage. A second unexpected development occurred on 3/2 when media reported that a "reliable source revealed the poisoner was the woman's husband." This fueled further speculation, portraying the incident as a domestic poisoning and sparking heated online debates.

Following a scene investigation, forensic examination, and interrogation, the couple was criminally detained on suspicion of blackmail. The case is currently under further investigation.

This incident has had negative repercussions, eroding public trust in the safety of online food products and causing consumers to question retailers' packaging methods. It also makes it more challenging for consumers to provide evidence when they genuinely encounter food safety issues.

Tue Anh (according to CCTV, Hongxing News, Sina)