A 43-year-old woman has been charged after allegedly contaminating a colleague’s lunch with poisonous snail pellets in Perth, Western Australia. According to police, the incident took place in February at a workplace in the city’s southern suburbs.

Authorities say a 58-year-old employee had brought a container of curry to share with coworkers during a morning tea break. The curry was consumed by several staff members without incident initially. Later, the accused is believed to have accessed a chemical storage area and subsequently entered the staff lunchroom where the food was stored.

When the victim attempted to eat more of the curry at lunchtime, she discovered bright green granules mixed into the meal. After tasting a small amount, she reported experiencing numbness in her tongue. The green granules were identified as snail pellets containing metaldehyde, a toxic chemical commonly used for pest control.

Police allege there was a personal relationship between the accused and the victim. The 43-year-old woman was arrested last week and charged with one count of unlawful act or omission with intent to harm, specifically endangering the life, health, or safety of another person.

She is due to appear before the Armadale Magistrates Court on November 5. Authorities have not disclosed further details about the nature of the relationship or the workplace involved.