Taiwan office in Melbourne receives suspicious package: MOFA

Taipei, Jan. 9 (CNA) Taiwan's representative office in Melbourne, Australia, on Wednesday received a suspicious package that was found to contain an "asbestos-like" substance, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

Immediately after receiving the package and seeing the asbestos-like substance, the office staff called the local police, MOFA spokesman Andrew Lee (李憲章) said.

The office also informed the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the incident, he said.

"The office is now working closely with Australian police on the investigation into the incident," Lee added.

He said that as of Wednesday evening, more than 15 foreign embassies and consulates in Melbourne and several others in Canberra had received similar suspicious packages.

According to an Australian Federal Police (AFP) statement, the packages were being examined by emergency services.

The packages were sent to consulates in Melbourne and embassies in Canberra, the AFP said, but did not say how many or name any of the offices.

"The circumstances surrounding the incidents are being investigated," the AFP said, adding that it could not give any further details because an investigation was in progress.