|
THE Official PRESS RELEASE
from North Dakota Department of Agriculture:
ND Department of Agriculture Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OCTOBER 13, 2004
COOPERATION RESULTED IN RECOVERY OF CYANIDE
BISMARCK Following the recovery of a container of deadly
sodium cyanide, authorities are continuing their investigation
into the shipment and probable illegal use of chemical in North
Dakota.
"Finding that barrel was obviously the number one priority,"
said
Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson. "Now that it is
in safe hands, it is time to find out how and why it got here
in the first place."
The 110-pound container of
Cyanobrik® was found late Wednesday, deep in some cattails
in a ditch along N.D. Highway 1, three miles south of Brocket.
It had been reported missing Sept. 30, when it fell off a truck.
Two other drums that had fallen off the truck had been found
earlier.
"Ramsey County Sheriff Steve Nelson and his department did
an outstanding job in leading the search for that container,"
Johnson said. "Thanks to them and to the cooperation of
many agencies, a potential tragedy was avoided."
North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) pesticide personnel
Jim Gray, Doug Johnston, Ken MacDonald and Julie Tronson, and
Duane Mills, Memphis, TN, a representative of DuPont, manufacturer
of the chemical, also took part in the search. It was Mills who
actually found the keg about 6:30 p.m.
Searchers covered more than 20 miles on foot and on all-terrain
vehicles Wednesday, looking for the container.
Agencies involved included the Devils Lakes Fire Department and
Rural Fire Department, Ramsey County Emergency Management, the
Nelson County Sheriff's Office, Lakota Fire Department, North
Dakota State Health Department, the State Department of Emergency
Management, the North Dakota Department of Transportation, the
Highway Patrol, the State Crime Laboratory and the Bureau of
Criminal Investigation, as well as Ramsay County authorities.
The case initially drew the attention of the U.S. Department
of Homeland Security and the FBI, but after it was learned that
the chemical was intended for beekeeping, it became an agricultural
regulatory matter and NDDA took the lead role.
Johnson said that some North Dakota beekeepers have apparently
been using sodium cyanide to fumigate their hives before transporting
them to other states.
"Such use has long been illegal and must stop," Johnson
said. "We intend to find out how and where the chemical
was obtained and who has been using it. We will then take the
proper administrative action at the conclusion of our investigation,
which will likely take months to complete."
Since the incident was first reported, NDDA investigators have
located 18 containers of sodium cyanide at five locations in
North Dakota. All have been tagged with stop-sale orders. All
have been traced to the same dealer and represent the dealer's
entire sales of the chemical this year.
Sodium cyanide is used in extracting precious metals, case-hardening
steel and electroplating. It has no registered agricultural use.
Johnson said that there is no evidence that honey is not safe
to eat. It is believed that the cyanide gas is used to disinfect
the hives after the honey is removed. Such use poses no risk
to honey consumers, but could possibly endanger the persons handling
the cyanide or the environment.
-------------
MEDIA: For more information, please
call Roger Johnson at (701) 328-4754.
|
