The Royal Navy veteran Joromie Lewis 33 Hampshire became ill after drinking a small amount of the Cole Cold Pear-D drink last Thursday.
He died just hours later at Southampton General Hospital.
Officers said that the Mr Lewis believes that the Caribbean drink was genuine but officers think that it was used to bring drugs into the UK.
Laboratory analysis revealed that the drink was laced with lethal levels of cocaine.
Cole Cold Pear-D is made in the Caribbean by a manufacturer which does not export into the UK.
SM Jaleel & Co Ltd told the BBC:”We can only assume that the product entered the United Kingdom through irregular and unauthorized means and is therefore considered contraband.”
The drink has now been recalled across Trinidad and Tobago as a precautionary measure.
The product affected is;
Cole Cold Pear-D Fruit Beverage
Batch: BB Jan 08 14
The Food Standards Agency has issued an alert for shops to stop selling the drink if they find it.
The agency have confirmed investigations into whether more Pear-D bottles have been distributed in the UK.
A post-mortem on Mr Lewis on Saturday returned inconclusive results and further tests are being carried out.
Further reading
For more information about faulty product claims, visit our comprehensive FAQ guide here.
WHAT TO DO NEXT
Get in touch today for a no-obligation consultation. Choose one of the methods on the right-hand side of this page, or call us on 0113 200 9720 to find out how we can help you.
