Scottish police investigate suspicious package sent to Newport Passport Office

The Passport Office in Mission Court was evacuated as a precaution after the premises received a suspicious package at around 8.30am.

Upon investigation, the package proved to be full of harmless white powder and the Passport Office was reopened at 11.30am.

Gwent Police has now handed over the investigation to Police Scotland as it is believed that the package was sent from a location in Scotland.

A Gwent Police spokeswoman said: "We have carried out initial enquiries into where the package has come from and this has now been passed to our colleagues in Police Scotland, due to where the sender is believed to originate."

A Police Scotland spokesman said: "We have been made aware of an incident in Newport with potential links to Scotland and are liaising with our colleagues at Gwent Police to establish the circumstances."

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Section 114 of the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 states that is an offence to place anywhere or send any substance or article intending to make others believe that that it is likely to be or contain a noxious substance or thing which could endanger human life or health.

On summary conviction a person may be imprisoned for up to six months, or receive a fine up to the statutory maximum or both.

On conviction on indictment a person may be imprisoned for up to seven years and also may receive a fine.