Big 1080 dump at Molesworth
Ospri has recently completed a 1080 aerial operation on New Zealand's biggest farm, Molesworth Station.
Fonterra and Federated Farmers received threatening letters last November, along with milk packages that tested positive with the poison. The threat was revealed today because the blackmailer had threated to go public with its intention later this month.
The letters threatened to contaminate infant formula and other products if New Zealand did not cease to use the poison by the end of March. It also threatened to disclose the matter publicly.
Police said up to 36 officers have been engaged in Operation Concord. Deputy commissioner Mike Clement said the threat was probably a hoax, but it had to be taken seriously.
Police and the Ministry for Primary Industries held a joint press conference at police headquarters this afternoon. MPI deputy director general Scott Gallagher said the organisation was as confident about the integrity of New Zealand's food products as it was before the threat.
1080 is widely used by the Department of Conservation to control pests such as rats and stoats.
Police said Fonterra's products were not specifically mentioned in the letter. Police have asked the public should come forward with information about people they know who have strong feelings about 1080.
MPI said the action of the letter writer was "criminal blackmail" which was designed to generate fear to create a domestic policy outcome. It should not undermine confidence in New Zealand's food safety. It was the first threat of its kind in New Zealand.
Just before the announcement, the New Zealand dollar dipped against the US and Australian currencies but has now recovered to be trading at 73USc and 95.5A cents.
Meantime, Fonterra and Tatua held a media conference in Auckland later today to assure customers about the security of their products' and Synlait Milk says it is confident that its food safety systems and security standards protect the integrity of its products
