Woman, 50, is arrested over strawberry needle contamination that saw farmers ditch tonnes of the fruit after a ‘complex investigation’
- A woman has been arrested in relation to the strawberry needle contamination
- The 50-year-old woman was taken into Queensland Police custody in Sunday
- The nation-wide strawberry contamination was dubbed ‘food terrorism’
A woman was arrested in relation to the strawberry needle contamination that sparked a nationwide crisis.
The 50-year-old woman was taken into Queensland Police custody in Sunday after a ‘complex investigation’ that was in the works for months.
The nation-wide strawberry contamination was dubbed ‘food terrorism’, after needles were inserted into strawberries from multiple brands, including Donnybrook Berries, Love Berry, Delightful Strawberries, Berry Obsession and Berry Licious.
The nation-wide strawberry contamination was dubbed ‘food terrorism’, after needles were inserted into strawberries from multiple brands
Harsher penalties were rushed through federal parliament for those caught tampering with food as police searched for the saboteurs.
Supermarkets across Australia and New Zealand also released warnings, urging customers to cut up their fruit before eating it as complaints of metal in fruit extended beyond just strawberries.
More than 100 reports of tampered fruit are being investigated by police across Australia, many of which are thought to be fake or copycat cases.
After the discovery of punnets of strawberries contaminated with needles, Queensland authorities notified the public of the safety risk on September 12.
The Queensland Police Service coordinated a national investigative response with multiple government, law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
A police task force was established with officers from the State Crime Command coordinating the investigation together with detectives in a number of police districts in Queensland.
The woman’s arrest is a major breakthrough in the case.
She is expected to front Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday.
Offenders face up to 10 years in prison.
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