TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Prosecutors in Taitung County ordered police to launch an investigation after the pesticide terbufos was confirmed to have contaminated millet zongzi, causing the death of three people earlier in the week.  

In cooperation with investigators from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, police began questioning residents of Binmao Village in Jinfeng Township on Wednesday (Sept. 18), reported UDN. While prosecutors have not yet made any statements on possible criminal activity, the entire village will be questioned to determine how the zongzi became contaminated with terbufos.

According to earlier reports, an 83-year-old woman surnamed Tseng (曾) ate one of the zongzi on Tuesday (Sept. 17) and died later that evening. Members of her family met at her house on Wednesday (Sept. 18) for a memorial event, and allegedly unaware of the danger, ate more of the zongzi. 

This led to further poisonings, which resulted in the death of two more women, and the hospitalization of nine other family members. 

Police immediately began questioning the relatives and other members of the community for information on how the food might have been contaminated. After toxicology results were made available to investigators on Thursday night (Sept. 19), the investigation was expanded to nearby stores selling pesticides. 

Police have reportedly seized evidence from a local pesticide supplier and are searching for recent purchase records of any pesticides containing terbufos. As of Friday night, police are still unsure of how the poisoning occurred or any potential source of the pesticide but the investigation is ongoing. 

UDN reported that a police officer had speculated to the media that Tseng gathered snails from a nearby paddy which may have been contaminated. However, upon inspection, nothing appears to be suspicious about the alleged source of the snails or how they were gathered.