Australian Police Examining Suspicious Packages Left at Foreign Consulates

Australian Police Examining Suspicious Packages Left at Foreign Consulates

"The packages are being examined by attending emergency services," an Australian Federal Police spokeswoman said. "The circumstances surrounding these incidents are being investigated."

  • By Jessica Davis
  • Jan 10, 2019

Australian authorities are investigating after suspicious packages were discovered at multiple foreign consulates and embassies in Melbourne and Canberra on Wednesday.

According to the Australian Broadcasting Corp., footage showed emergency service workers at the U.S., Greek, French, Italian, Indian, New Zealand, Pakistani, Spanish, South Korean and Swiss consulates in Melbourne. They were also at an incident at the South Melbourne building were the Consulate General of Turkey is based.

A New Zealand official told the ABC that their consulate received an envelope, inside of which were small plastic bags with the word “asbestos” written on the outside. The bags were filled with what appeared to be concrete and asbestos. A police officer was seen wearing a face mask inside the New Zealand consulate.

A spokesman for the U.S. Melbourne consulate told ABC it had also received a suspicious package.

"We handled the package according to our standard procedures and in close coordination with local authorities — the Melbourne Fire Brigade and the Australian Federal Police — who are investigating the incident," he said.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) said they were aware of the rash of suspicious packages being delivered.

"The packages are being examined by attending emergency services," an AFP spokeswoman said. "The circumstances surrounding these incidents are being investigated."

"At this time we believe the matter is targeted and not impacting the general community," Victoria Police said in a statement. Victoria is the state in which Melbourne is located.

These incidents followed an incident Monday in which the Argentinian consulate in Sydny was sent three bags containing fiberglass and asbestos.

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Ransomware Attacks Rise for the First Time in Six Months

    Ransomware attacks have risen for the first time in six months, increasing by 28% month-on-month to 421 attacks. While overall attack volume remained below 500, the uptick may signal a renewed escalation heading into the year’s most active period for cyber criminals. Read Now

  • Report: 47 Percent of Security Service Providers Are Not Yet Using AI or Automation Tools

    Trackforce, a provider of security workforce management platforms, today announced the launch of its 2025 Physical Security Operations Benchmark Report, an industry-first study that benchmarks both private security service providers and corporate security teams side by side. Based on a survey of over 300 security professionals across the globe, the report provides a comprehensive look at the state of physical security operations. Read Now

    • Guard Services

  • Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

    Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now

  • Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

    Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now

  • Report: AI is Supercharging Old-School Cybercriminal Tactics

    AI isn’t just transforming how we work. It’s reshaping how cybercriminals attack, with threat actors exploiting AI to mass produce malicious code loaders, steal browser credentials and accelerate cloud attacks, according to a new report from Elastic. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.