1080 drop first test for threat maker

Aerial drops of 1080 poison around Wanaka set to begin after next Friday will be the first test of the resolve of the anonymous person who threatened to contaminate infant formula with the poison.

In November, a letter to Fonterra and Federated Farmers gave a deadline of the end of March for the country to cease using the poison.

The letter also contained packages of milk powder contaminated with traces of 1080.

Yesterday, the Department of Conservation confirmed to the Otago Daily Times it had not carried out any aerial 1080 drops beyond the end of March, and a spokesman for Tb Free NZ said the last aerial 1080 drop it carried out was in the Buller region on March 31.

That appears to make Tb Free NZ plans to begin a new 1080 aerial poisoning programme around Wanaka the first to be carried out despite the threat.

Cereal baits containing 1080 will be dropped by helicopter on 6827ha of private and Doc land at Mt Alpha and Roys Peak, near Wanaka, and Breast Hill, east of Lake Hawea.

Asked about the poisoning programme in relation to the threat, Deputy Police Commissioner Mike Clement said in a statement yesterday police were continuing to ''pursue a range of lines of inquiry'' as part of ''Operation Concord''.

''Up to 35 staff depending on requirements are involved with the investigation,'' he said.

''Police will not be discussing any particular individuals or areas of the country which are relevant to the investigation.

''We continue to urge the public to be vigilant and report anything suspicious, and we continue to appeal for anyone with information relevant to the inquiry to contact police.''

The first part of the operation will involve the spreading of a non-toxic, brown ''pre-feed'' bait, followed some days later by the dropping of toxic bait, each bait about 30mm-long, dyed green and containing 1.5g of 1080 to 1kg of cereal.

Tb Free NZ is warning the public not to enter the areas being poisoned and not to remove carcasses or baits, which are dangerous to people and dogs.

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