Britain Reports Food Extortion Cases Spread

New cases of baby food tampering were reported today across England as well as in Ireland and Northern Ireland, and three babies were treated by doctors after eating food tainted by extortionists, officials said.

Newspaper reports said that food companies had paid $850,000 to extortionists and that the extortionists were demanding another $1.7 million.

The Daily Telegraph said police believe that a gang that extorted $85,000 from a large supermarket chain this year is responsible. Scotland Yard refused comment on the reports.

Parents today reported finding glass, pins, needles and caustic soda in jars and cans of baby food and in one case, powdered milk. Police did not say how many new cases were reported, but as of Wednesday there had been at least 50 cases in England alone.

Three babies were taken to hospitals in Leicester, Exeter and Leeds and later released. One mother found glass fragments in her baby’s food, and another discovered two pieces of metal. The third baby became ill when eating a banana dessert, police said.

2 Firms Offer Rewards

New cases turned up in the province of Northern Ireland as well as across the border in the Republic of Ireland, police said.

H. J. Heinz Co. Ltd. and Cow & Gate Ltd., two of Britain’s leading food manufacturers, on Wednesday offered a total of $169,000 for information leading to the conviction of the extortionists.

Heinz, whose parent company is the Pittsburgh-based food giant, and Cow & Gate said they had received extortion demands but refused to elaborate.

The Daily Telegraph said police suspected a gang of extortionists who reportedly got $85,000 from a supermarket chain this year after threatening to poison food on its market shelves. The gang threatened to spike baby food unless it was paid $1.7 million, the newspaper said. It did not name the victimized supermarket chain.