Dunnet beach closed by police as mystery barrel is investigated – toxic waste or Class A drug batch?
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Police cordoned off Dunnet beach after two local beach cleaners found a large barrel filled with bags of yellowish powder on Wednesday.
The beach cleaners, who did not wish to be named, speculated that it could be toxic material or even a consignment of Class A drugs lost by smugglers.
The two people were removing plastics and other rubbish from the beach when one of them thought he saw a person struggling in the water – it turned out to be a large blue barrel bobbing about, however.
Speaking yesterday evening, one of the beach cleaners said: "It was in the sea in the waves near the shore but because there were bags in it, it was sitting upright. He started rolling it out and up the beach, but the bags at the bottom were making it difficult, so he pulled one part way along the barrel so that it rolled better.
"We don't know what was in the barrel we found [but] it was bags of yellow powder. The one at the top had burst and some of the powder landed on the beach. The police monitored the beach last night and closed it off today."
The man who discovered the barrel was told to "strip and shower and wasn't allowed to eat or drink until there were absolutely no adverse symptoms". He said he was thankful that he wears good gloves but his clothes had to be put in a bag and left outside until the identity of the mystery substance could be ascertained.
"The police kept phoning us last night to find out more and check that he was okay. They had to get a special fire department team up from Aberdeen to come and deal with it as they did not know what it was and it could have been dangerous. The team should have arrived early this afternoon but they have to take the powder back to Aberdeen for testing. They will let us know when they find out what it is."
The coastguard said they they would be able to claim salvage but one of the beach cleaners joked that it might be cocaine worth around £3M. "They said we could have the barrel. Haha, I guess salvage rights don’t apply to class A drugs!"
Though cocaine is usually seen as a brilliant white powder there are yellow and other off-white variants of the drug due to various chemical additives.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said on Friday: “We were made aware of a barrel containing an unidentified substance on the shoreline at Dunnet Bay in Caithness around 6.25pm on Wednesday, 18 January.
“The area was cordoned off as a precaution and officers provided assistance to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service until such time as it could be removed safely by the Highland Council.”
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) spokesperson said: "We were requested at 8.21pm on Wednesday, 18 January to assist our emergency service partners at Dunnet Bay, Caithness, Highland.
"Upon attendance, SFRS personnel assisted their police partners before leaving the scene."
On Monday, a local authority spokesperson updated the Caithness Courier on the matter, saying: “The Highland Council was asked to assist with the uplift and disposal of the barrel and its contents which are believed to be non-hazardous from Dunnet Bay beach. The cordon has been removed.”
A spokesperson for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) said: “SEPA is aware of a barrel of an unidentified powdery substance on Dunnet Beach.
“We liaised with the Highland Council and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, who carried out preliminary tests which indicated the substance was benign. The Highland Council has removed the barrel and it remains in their possession ahead of further tests, which will determine how the material will be disposed of.
“SEPA is content there is no impact to the environment and will continue to liaise with the Highland Council to ensure appropriate disposal of the material.”
