The NYPD has responded to a seventh report this week, and second Wednesday morning, of an envelope containing a white powder sent to a foreign office housed in New York City, WCBSTV reports.
Officials say the Consulate General Of The Republic Of Belarus, located at 708 Third Avenue, received the package sometime Wednesday morning.
Hours earlier, Sgt. Reginald Watkins said officers responded about 1 a.m. at the Russian Mission on the Upper East Side of Manhattan for a similar report. Initial tests indicated it was harmless.
Police believe the envelopes appear to be part of an elaborate hoax, with numerous other foreign offices receiving the same package throughout the week.
The missions to the United Kingdom and Germany received similar envelopes on Tuesday. On Monday, three arrived at the missions of France, Austria and Uzbekistan.
NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said three of the envelopes contained flour. Additional tests were being done on the others.
“Anybody that thinks that it’s a joke is making a very bad mistake. If we apprehend you you’re going to face criminal charges,” Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.
HAZMAT teams have taken no chances, decontaminating 33 people who worked at the French, Uzbekistan and Austrian buildings. The secretary at the German Consulate was also decontaminated.
“We caution all of the missions here at the United Nations to be careful with their mail and if they see any suspicious envelopes not to open them. If they do open them to segregate them and call police immediately,” NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly said.
(Source: WCBSTV)
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One Response
The act of an individual or several with a very warped sence of humor and a very large waste of NYC tax payer money making sure the powders are not harmful. Hopefully those that did this will be found and the law will make an example of them!