Police check suspicious mail

By PATRICK GOWER and KATHERINE HOBY

Auckland police were called to investigate two suspicious mail deliveries in the city yesterday, one at the British consulate and the other at a business in suburban Penrose.

Police said they were called as a precaution to the British consulate when a suspicious package was discovered.

The second incident involved a letter from which white powder was escaping at the offices of International Accreditation, which inspects and registers laboratories.

Both packages were taken away, but police could not confirm their contents.

It is understood the letter to the consulate was deemed suspicious because of the way it was addressed.

Detective Superintendent Steve Shortland, who is in charge of the search for the author of letters sent to the United States Embassy and the British and Australian High Commissions, said there had been no major breakthroughs.

The letter to the British High Commissioner contained cyanide.

Police were continuing with inquiries, he said.

Anyone with information about the letters can call hotline 0800-THREAT or 0800-847-328.

Some major Auckland-based companies say the cyanide letter incident - hoax or not - has forced them to reconsider security.

A spokeswoman from one of the city's major law firms, who preferred not to be named, said that staff photo identifications were being strictly checked.

"No one is getting anywhere without their ID," she said.

Staff had been cautioned about opening suspicious-looking packages, and all mail was being opened in the general mailroom. NZ Post health, safety and environment manager Cherie Logan said the employee involved in the cyanide letter scare had dealt very well with the incident.

"And he is justifiably very proud of his response," she said.

Miss Logan said the organisation had always taken employee health and safety seriously.

"We have had procedures in place for quite some time now," she said.

"Because we do get some - well, you could say interesting - articles through the mail."

Every "event" was followed by a debriefing and response evaluation. Procedures had not been changed since the letter incident, she said.

Workers were being offered gloves and masks to work in.

"We believe it is a minimal risk, but we have to balance business as usual with health and safety."