Queensland police investigate scour coastline after containers was ashore

Queensland police are scouring 170-kilometres of coastline after suspicious packages washed ashore in the wake of wild weather.

Transcript

00:00Police are investigating after multiple packages containing a suspicious substance washed ashore

00:08along the Bundaberg coastline.

00:10The first was found by a member of the public walking along the beach yesterday morning.

00:14They notified police who launched an extensive search and recovered more packages, both yesterday

00:21and again today, all wrapped up in plastic and weighing one kilogram each.

00:26Police haven't revealed exactly how many have been found.

00:30We did locate a number of them yesterday.

00:32We had concerns that potentially some could wash up again today, so we recommenced that

00:36search this morning and we're out there now actually looking for some more packages if

00:41there are out there.

00:42So all I can tell you is yesterday, yes, we did find quite a number of them.

00:46I won't disclose how many we did locate yesterday and we have found some more again today.

00:52At this stage, it's not known where the suspicious packages have come from, but the discovery

00:57comes three months after Australia's largest ever cocaine bust, when more than two tons

01:02of the drug was seized from a boat in Harvey Bay.

01:05The SES and also Surf Lifesavers have today joined the search, stretching 170 kilometres

01:12of the coastline in case any more packages wash ashore.

01:16Members of the public are being warned not to touch or open them as they may contain

01:20hazardous material and anyone with information that could assist the investigation is urged

01:26to contact police.