Roll tobacco smokers await all-clear after powder scare

11.45am

Smokers who roll their own may get the all-clear later today to open new packets of tobacco after a weekend scare that one may have been laced with poison.

White powder was found in a 30g packet of Port Royal tobacco bought from a Tauranga supermarket yesterday, prompting tobacco companies to freeze sales on all brands and advise smokers not to open new packets.

Retailers around the country were advised to remove loose tobacco from their shelves.

The powder was sent to Wellington for analysis and Carrick Graham, of British American Tobacco, said the results may be back today.

He said if the powder was found to be harmless, packets of unopened tobacco should get the all-clear.

The man who bought the tobacco found white powder in it when he opened it. He wrapped it in plastic before taking it back to the supermarket.

Police closed the area and checked the store before it reopened later in the day.

Tobacco companies issued a warning as a precaution.

"In the interests of public safety we believe it was an appropriate step to take until we can ascertain whether this was an isolated incident and we hope it is," Mr Graham said.

He said it was difficult to speculate when the powder got into the tobacco or if it was deliberate.

The batch from which the packet came had been traced. Mr Graham said 58 tonnes was manufactured late last year and had been on the market for about six weeks.

The discovery followed threats and cyanide-laced letters sent to embassies and the New Zealand Herald in Auckland.

The letter writer said he had 25kg of "weapons-grade cyanide" and threatened a demonstration of capabilities at noon last Friday in Wellington and Auckland by releasing cyanide gas into cinemas and poisoning water supplies.

The deadline passed without incident.

Police said they would have no hesitation in charging the person who put the powder in the tobacco with a criminal offence.

Inspector Murray Lewis of Tauranga police said several tests had been ordered on the powder and one of the test results may be back today.

He would not comment on whether the wrapping on the packet had been interfered with or if it was intact.

He said police were treating the incident very seriously and any offender would face criminal charges.

He said the police had no criticism of the supermarket, the man who bought the tobacco and the tobacco industry for the way they had handled the incident.

The scare started after David Ibbotson, a 41-year-old joiner, returned home from the supermarket and opened his tobacco packet to find it empty apart from tissue paper with white powder wrapped inside.

"It wasn't until I showed it to my flatmate and he freaked a bit that I washed the stuff off my hands. I thought it was better to be safe than sorry," he said. "I thought it smelt like talcum powder."

Mr Ibbotson returned to the supermarket at 12.15pm to get a replacement packet, handing the original back to a stunned supermarket worker.

"The supervisor came right over and freaked out."

Staff then took the packet to the office and called police.

The Fire Service sent six fire crews, a command unit and its hazardous substances decontamination unit.

Seven supermarket staff and a policeman underwent chemical showers.

New World owner Dean Waddell praised his staff, saying they had done all the right things.

Mr Ibbotson's home was also decontaminated.

"I haven't dwelled on it. I suppose it could be quite serious if it was the real thing. We might be dead right now," he said.

- BAY OF PLENTY TIMES