Auckland (Avneet Kaur)
Police have arrested an Invercargill teenager in connection with a series of bomb threat emails sent to organisations and institutions across New Zealand, as a fresh threat on Tuesday prompted the evacuation of an Auckland CBD college.
The arrest comes as part of an ongoing police investigation, known as Operation Irena, into threatening emails initially sent to institutions in Auckland before spreading to organisations across the country.
Southland Police confirmed officers searched a property in Invercargill on Monday after Auckland-based investigators gathered information linked to the case.
Area Commander Inspector Mike Bowman said the teenager was taken into custody without incident.
The youth has been charged with two counts of threatening to kill or cause grievous bodily harm and appeared in the Invercargill Youth Court on Tuesday. Police say further charges could still be considered as investigations continue.
Authorities also confirmed no suspicious items or explosive materials were found during the search.
Police said early indications suggest the teenager may not have had the ability to carry out the alleged threats, though inquiries remain ongoing.
The development comes as ICL Graduate Business School on Lorne Street in Auckland CBD was evacuated on Tuesday after the institution received a threat email.
In a notice sent to students, the college said the evacuation was being carried out as a precaution while the matter was assessed by authorities.
Students and staff were instructed to leave the building immediately through designated evacuation routes and were told not to return until further notice.
The incident caused concern among students at the central Auckland campus, which has a large international student population.
Police have not confirmed whether the latest threat received by ICL is directly linked to the wider investigation, but authorities continue to investigate threatening emails sent to organisations nationwide.
The recent threats have sparked concern across New Zealand, with several institutions and organisations tightening security measures and carrying out precautionary evacuations in recent days.
