A Victorian man has been arrested and charged after suspicious packages were sent to consulates across Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra.
A Victoria Police forensic officer carries items to be loaded into a trailer outside the Italian consulate in Melbourne. Photo: AFP / William West
Police arrested the 48-year-old man last night at his home in Shepparton, a 100km north east of Melbourne.
He was charged with sending dangerous articles to be carried by a postal service and has been remanded in custody following a Melbourne Magistrates' Court hearing today.
The maximum penalty is 10 years' jail.
The matter is due to return to court on 4 March.
Some 38 parcels were sent to consulates and embassies in Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney yesterday. Consulates targeted include New Zealand, the US, India, Pakistan, Greece, South Korea, New Zealand, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, ABC reported.
Police recovered 29 of the packages, which were still being tested to determine their contents. They identified all the intended recipients and were working to recover the remaining packages, but said there was no ongoing risk to the public.
They said the substance was most likely sourced from the man's home.
Staff at New Zealand's consulate were evacuated as a precautionary measure.
-RNZ / ABC