After stores in London pulled Red Bull from its shelves and Taiwanese authorities confiscated close to 18,000 cases of the popular energy drink, Hong Kong officials say they found traces of cocaine in samples of "Red Bull Cola," "Red Bull Sugar-free" and "Red Bull Energy Drink."

Officials at the Center for Food Safety said a laboratory analysis found tiny amounts, between 0.1 and 0.3 micrograms of the illegal drug per liter, and as a result the drink has now been taken off the shelves of major supermarkets.

Hong Kong's commissioner for narcotics, Sally Wong, said the government was now taking legal advice on any possible liability for importers and retailers.

"Cocaine is a dangerous drug... The possession and dealing in the drug is a criminal offence," Wong said in the statement.

Red Bull moved quickly to dispute the findings, saying independent tests on the same batch revealed no traces of cocaine, with Red Bull's Asia Pacific marketing director, Daniel Beatty, issuing a statement.

"It would have been absolutely impossible for the Hong Kong or any other authorities to have found traces of cocaine in Red Bull Energy Drink," he said adding that, "We expect the Hong Kong authorities to recognize their error soon."