Consumers should take confidence from handling of 1080 criminal blackmail threat

Domestic and international consumers of New Zealand food should take confidence in the way the criminal blackmail threat to contaminate infant and other formula with 1080 was handled, MPI Director-General Martyn Dunne said today.

“What we saw in response to this threat was multiple government agencies working together with dairy companies and retailers with a common purpose – to protect consumers.”

Mr Dunne was commenting following the guilty plea in Auckland High Court today to two counts of blackmail.

Mr Dunne thanked dairy manufacturers, retailers and all the government agencies involved in putting in place mitigation measures to respond to the threat.
“The New Zealand Police should be congratulated for getting to this point. They managed a determined and focussed investigation.”

As this matter is still before the Court, MPI will not be making any further comment.

ends

© Scoop Media