Dresden (dpa/sn) - The State Criminal Police Office of Saxony (LKA) warned of criminals at carnival time who incapacitate their victims with knockout drops. These are secretly placed in open drinks, especially at parties or in discos - sometimes for fun, but often to rob the victims or violate them, as the LKA announced on Friday. According to statistics, 50 crimes in connection with knockout drops were registered last year. However, the police expect a large number of unreported cases, because many victims did not report the crime out of shame.
"Taking knockout drops slows down the activities of the brain and central nervous system. The effect begins ten to twenty minutes after ingestion and lasts up to four hours, sometimes considerably longer," it said. After initial euphoria, nausea, dizziness and sudden drowsiness follow. The LKA advised, among other things, not to leave drinks unattended and to organize a "beverage supervision" when going to the dance floor.
