'Suspicious packages' sent to 10 foreign consulates in Melbourne, including Indian; police say no threat to public

At least 10 international consulates in Australia’s Melbourne, including the Indian consulate, were evacuated on Wednesday following reports of “suspicious packages” being delivered to them, local media reported. Similar packages were delivered to consulates in capital city Canberra, as well, according to Reuters .

In Melbourne, the Indian and US consulates on St Kilda Road as well as the British, Swiss and German diplomatic missions are believed to have been targeted.  Reports said that the Korean, Greek, Italian, Pakistani and Egyptian consulates have also been put on lockdown.

Unverified reports claimed  that packages bearing the word “asbestos” and “wear a mask” were received. The packages are not believed to be dangerous, but police, fire crews and forensic teams were urged to use breathing apparatus as they documented and double or triple bagged the materials for further testing.

“The packages are being examined by attending emergency services,” the Australian Federal Police said in a statement. “The circumstances surrounding the incidents are being investigated.”

According to The Guardian , staff at the Consulate-General of India were evacuated from the building and ordered not to talk to the media, while reporters outside the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea reported seeing at least one person in a hazmat suit enter the building. Some of the sites – which also included locations near the Spanish, Swiss, Egyptian and Pakistani consulates – were evacuated as a precaution but have since been declared safe

Fire crews and police are at the Indian consulate in Melbourne. Staff evacuated sitting outside @AAPNewswire pic.twitter.com/Roc06bVxwj

— Kaitlyn Offer (@KaitlynOffer) January 9, 2019

Victoria Police said there was no threat to the public: “At this time we believe the matter is targeted and not impacting the general community.”

A British High Commission spokesperson said it had been one of the facilities targeted, but “all our staff are safe and accounted for.”

The development comes two days after a suspicious white substance was found inside a package sent to the Argentine consulate in Sydney.