Gambler Arrested for Leaving Behind Drug-Filled Kinder Egg at Casino in Argentina

Posted on: September 9, 2022, 07:58h. 

Last updated on: September 9, 2022, 11:51h.

Erik Gibbs Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Gaming Business, Global Gaming.

An Argentinian left behind a Kinder Egg during a recent trip to Casino Club in Chubut to play roulette. The chocolate egg treat usually contains a prize for kids inside. This time, it contained eight baggies of cocaine.

Kinder egg
Kinder Egg is the popular chocolate egg that comes with a toy inside. A gambler left one at a gaming table in a casino in Argentina, but it contained cocaine, not a toy. (Image: Getty Images)

After finding the surprise, a casino worker alerted a police officer performing additional duty at the casino. The police officer called the station for assistance and checked the casino’s surveillance system. The camera footage revealed who left the Kinder Egg behind.

When the police weighed the baggies, they found they contained about 3.7 grams of nose candy. That’s a relatively small amount without a lot of value. Data from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s (UNODC) World Drug Report puts Argentina’s per-gram price of cocaine at around $5.90.

Police subsequently arrested a 27-year-old man. They haven’t yet released the suspect’s name. Following his arrest, the man was released and will have to return to court later to face charges. The police seized his cell phone, which could result in more charges or arrests.

Kinder Eggs are banned in the US. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act prohibit any confectionary product containing non-edible items. However, different variants are available.

Cocaine Crackdown

This latest arrest follows shortly after Argentinian police stopped a drug dealer allegedly using a casino as a storefront. That investigation is still ongoing.

UNODC data shows that Argentina ranks 11th in terms of cocaine use. England, the US, and Australia occupy second through fourth, respectively. Albania sits at the top of the list, while Singapore is at the bottom. Different reporting methods and times may skew the overall data.

Gambling, Cocaine Share Traits

Several studies have shown that gambling and cocaine addicts share many similarities. Numerous studies link addiction to a lack of impulse control.

Why the lack of impulse control occurs is still unknown. The US National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) characterizes addiction as a “brain disease.” But other factors, such as the individual’s environment or development, play a role.

But some researchers, including neuroscientist Dr. Marc Lewis, have worked to debunk the theory that addiction is a brain disease. For years, Lewis is a former addict who has asserted that addiction is only a behavioral problem.

The link between gambling and drug addiction has also led some psychologists to reach a common conclusion. They argue that an individual doesn’t become a gambling addict because of gambling. Instead, they become an addict because of an inclination toward addiction. If they don’t feed the addiction with gambling, they’ll look for something else, like drugs, to satisfy the urge.