Dutch asylum center evacuated after suspicious powder found in mailed envelope

A building at the asylum reception center in Ter Apel was evacuated late Wednesday morning after an envelope containing a suspicious powder was found in the mail room. Asylum seekers and staff from Dutch immigration office IND were forced to leave the building in the Groningen village, an IND spokesperson confirmed after initial reporting by RTL Nieuws.

She did not know how many people were in the building when the evacuation plan was activated just before noon. “The emergency services are here, and we are waiting for their results.” Police said that dozens of people were evacuated.

The police and the fire department were still investigating the possibly dangerous letter around two hours after the evacuation. This will take a while, a spokesperson said. She said that some of the evacuated people have now resumed work in a part of the building that can be closed off. Others have been temporarily housed elsewhere on the site, according to the police and the Groningen Safety Region.

The building is where IND staff hold their first talks with newcomers as part of their process when applying for asylum in the Netherlands.