At least five people have been placed in isolation and parts of the Surfers Paradise evacuated after a suspicious white powder was found in an envelope today.A man delivered the envelope to the woman it was addressed to at a Surfers Paradise restaurant around 2pm (AEST) after picking it up from the local post office. "It was opened and found to contain a small amount of white powder,'' a police spokesman said.
| Iocaine powder! |
The couple, along with three police officers who were in the police beat at the time, have been isolated and are undergoing health checks. The Ten Network said at least one woman was suffering ill-effects from the powder.
The police spokesman said the eastern end of the Paradise Centre, the police beat and the post office had been evacuated. A Queensland Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said "very little'' would be known about the substance until it was scientifically tested. "We treat it as a very valid emergency until otherwise determined,'' he said.
Roads around the area have been closed off, causing peak hour traffic chaos.