Trenton, N.J. hit with anthrax hoax letter
by Tina Redlup on February 23, 2010
A hazmat crew was called to a Trenton police building recently following the discovery of an envelope filled with an unknown white powder.
The white powder was later revealed to be harmless, though questions have arisen over the handling of the suspect package.
The white powder containing enveloped was found at the Motor Vehicle Commission's office in Trenton on Friday. officials at that office then notified police.
The police call was originally responded to by the New Jersey State Police as the MVC is a state office. When a Trenton police sergeant arrived on the scene, police spokesman Pedro Medina told the Trentonian.com, he was informed that a state trooper had already deemed the package to pose no threat and left the scene, leaving behind the package.
According to Medina, the staffer said that the trooper had spoken of similar recent threats at other government buildings. In those cases, the powdery substance was revealed to be sugar.
Trenton police officers then secured the package, taking it as evidence to forward it to the state police crime lab for further investigation.
A renewed interest in the package began this week following an advisory issued by the state police that warned of anthrax hoaxes at government buildings, prompting the hazmat team to be called in to take another look at the package.
The package was then transported to an auxiliary building that houses evidence.
The hazmat team then determined that the package did not contain sugar but that it did not contain anthrax or any other harmful agent.
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