Malmö. The letter of the white powder came to the Enforcement in Malmö on Monday.
– The first thing you think when you see a white powder is so clear anthrax, said Eva-Gun Westford, police press officer.
Police evacuated the premises and a large area was cordoned off.
Shortly before half past ten on Monday morning, police received an alert about a suspicious white powder at the Enforcement Authority in Malmö. A major rescue operation was launched and the staff from the Swedish Tax Agency and the Swedish Enforcement Authority who have been in contact with the powder were isolated. Only late in the afternoon, after decontamination, could people who had been in quarantine leave their workplace. Then went two chemical divers from the emergency services in and retrieved the item with the suspicious powder. The police takes a very serious incident and the powder will include testing for anthrax.
– It is a natural remedy. The first thing you think of when you see a white powder is so clear anthrax, said Eva-Gun Westford.
The powder was sent during the evening to the Public Health Agency’s laboratory for analysis. Before it is finished, it is considered dangerous. Enforcement and Tax Agency’s premises are kept cordoned off until the substance is identified.
– We expect to receive a response later on Tuesday morning, says Gustaf Sandell, internal officers of Rescue Service South.
Investigates a relation
Malmo has in recent months suffered several serious incidents. On November 31 detonated a powerful bomb outside Rättscentrum at Malmö district court. The bomb was so powerful that it smashed glass panes over 100 meters from the site. In December detonated then four more explosives in Rosengård. Police suspect that a dozen serious criminals trying to gain respect among authorities and companies. So far, three suspected perpetrators were arrested. Police press officer, Eva-Gun Westford, mean that all these events should be examined in context and she does not rule out a link between the bombs and the incident with the powder.
– There is a situation in Malmö, which is troublesome, said Eva-Gun Westford.
According to Eva-Gun Westford police will have the bomb at Rättscentrum in mind when investigating the incident with the powder.
– When this happens, these things are similar to each other so it’s clear that you look at it in context, she says.
Got quarantine
A large number of people had to be quarantined by the authorities since the alarm if suspicious powder. How many there actually being asked had the police and emergency services divided on Monday. According to the police, it was a dozen people while emergency services meant that there were more.
– My information is that there were six people on the Enforcement Authority and twenty-two on the Swedish Tax Agency, says Håkan Månsson, internal officers, rescue South.
According to Eva-Gun Westford dressed a couple of police officers wearing protective equipment and entered the premises to support those isolated.
The powder was running to the Enforcement
It was a extensive work for the emergency services to remediate all staff. But it did not have to be so many. The staff of the Enforcement subjected to powder unnecessarily. The envelope with the suspicious powder came, according to Sven-Gunnar Jonsson, who is the district manager at the Swedish Enforcement Authority, the Swedish Tax Agency’s premises in a letter. The letter was addressed to the Swedish Enforcement Authority in Malmö. Tax Agency staff opened the letter but despite discovered a powder sent it on to the bailiff.
– The letter was opened mechanically on Tax Board under the supervision of the staff there. When it was discovered a white powder stuffed it in a plastic wallet and drove it to the Enforcement, said Eva-Gun Westford, press officer for Skåne police.
Only when the plastic pocket came into the Crown bailiff’s premises reacted to someone and alerted the police and emergency services . The premises was evacuated and a large area around both the Enforcement office at cordoned off. The car that had transported the item including the powder was allowed to remain outside the bailiff because it was considered contaminated.
What do you think about the staff at the Swedish Tax Agency who discovered the powder is then placed in a plastic wallet and drove it to the Enforcement ?
– It is human to react. Therefore, I intend nothing special about it. We at police and staff of the emergency services have more knowledge and therefore know how to act, says Eva-Gun Westford.
“Do not know what happened”
It is unclear why the Swedish Tax Agency staff delivered the powder to the Enforcement Authority despite having seen it when the letter was opened.
– I do not know what happened. We will go through it on Wednesday at a meeting, says Anette Backlund, Head of Internal Services south, the Tax Agency.
What is the normal to do if you discover a powder?
– In our security says that if you discover a powder you should contact the police. But I do not know what you’ve seen, says Anette Backlund.
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