The cook of the well-known Heineken brewery in Arrecife, which was the bar where those intoxicated by cannabis ate paella, was arrested by the National Police as the alleged perpetrator of a crime against public health, according to sources close to the investigation.
His arrest occurred after at least three of the intoxicated individuals filed a complaint with the National Police. However, after taking his statement, he was released, although the agents have transferred the report to the Courts.
It was last Saturday, January 11, when a dozen people had to be evacuated by ambulance to the Molina Orosa Hospital after starting to feel unwell shortly after eating at the bar, although only eight of them required medical assistance.
The affected individuals were students of a course that was being taught at the Zaharia Driving School in Arrecife and, after testing positive for cannabis, stated that they had not voluntarily consumed the drug and that they suspected that it could be found in the paella they had ingested.
"I ate three plates of paella because it was delicious, but when I left the premises I fainted and collapsed to the ground," said the director of the driving school, Zaharia Mohamed Dris, in statements to La Provincia, who ruled out that any of the diners could have manipulated the paella.
On Sunday, a day after the events, the Local Police acted on the premises and sealed off the kitchen, although, after the complaints from those affected, the investigation passed into the hands of the National Police. In addition, on Monday, a Public Health inspector also visited the bar, verifying that it lacked authorization to serve food. Therefore, the director of the Lanzarote Health Area, Noelia Umpiérrez, stated that a proposal for sanctions would be submitted to the establishment.
