A Victorian man has been sentenced to one-year imprisonment after sending dozens of packages containing asbestos to embassies in Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra through Australia Post. The accused claim he only wanted to help since the non-burnable material can “assist firefighting abilities”.  

52 Parcels Containing Asbestos Found in Shepparton Home

Victoria Police and the Australia Federal Office arrested Savas Avan, 49, in his home hours after sending the second batch of bags with white powder. This prompted an immediate emergency response and a complete lockdown of embassies. 

It was discovered that the cleaner has been sending these packages for over two days in January. 

The police raid in Avan’s Home in Shepparton also found a bag full of burned material and plastic bags containing the toxic substance. Asbestos is known as a hazardous substance and can cause cancer and other diseases. 

Accused Believed Asbestos Could Help Firefighters

The Shepparton man claimed he has been trying to burn broken fibreglass when he discovered its fire-resistant properties. The accused later told the police he thought it could protect firefighters, so he wanted to weave asbestos into clothing and blankets. 

“I wanted to do my own fabric and I wanted to see if they’d be interested in buying it,” Avans said.

The accused believed the packages “would not be dangerous” since they were compressed into cement. Handwritten notes advising to ‘wear gloves and mask’ also came with the deliveries. 

“I thought I could help a lot of people around the world and that I’d better get the word out. I just went about it the wrong way.” he further added. 

Read the full story here. 

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