Austrian police have detained a suspect in a major extortion case targeting German baby food manufacturer HiPP. A 39-year-old man is accused of mixing rat poison into jars of baby food and demanding €2 million to stop the threat.
The arrest took place in the federal state of Salzburg. According to Austrian police and prosecutors, the man acted alone. He would purchase jars of HiPP baby food at supermarkets, add rat poison to them, and then return the contaminated products to store shelves.
The incident came to light in mid-April 2026, when a single poisoned jar of carrot and potato purée was discovered in Austria’s Burgenland region. Several more tampered jars were subsequently found in Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. In total, five dangerous products were seized. HiPP announced a partial product recall, and authorities warned parents to check the integrity of packaging before use.
Investigators believe the perpetrator’s motive was extortion. An anonymous letter was sent to the company demanding a transfer of €2 million in cryptocurrency within six days. HiPP reportedly did not see the message until after the deadline had passed.
The suspect is currently in custody and cooperating with investigators. He faces charges of creating a public danger and attempted grievous bodily harm. His identity has not yet been officially disclosed.
Police stressed that thanks to swift action and the product recall, no one was harmed. The investigation is ongoing.