Man charged with sending dangerous articles to consulates, embassies in Australian

Australian authorities have charged a man who allegedly has sent "dangerous articles" to numerous consulates and embassies in three cities across Australia.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Victoria State Police took the 48-year-old into custody late on Wednesday after their investigations led them to the man's house in Shepparton, 190 km north of Melbourne.

"It will be alleged in court that the man sent 38 parcels to consulates and embassies in Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney, with a substance suspected to have been sourced from his Shepparton home," the police agencies said in a joint statement on Thursday, adding that "the assistance of the Australian Post has been crucial to the outcome of this investigation."

While only 29 of the packages have so far been recovered with forensic testing still to be undertaken, police have assured the public they have identified the intended recipients and have put processes in place to recover the packages.

"There is no ongoing threat to the general public," the statement said.

Although investigators have not commented on the potential motive of the postal attacks and which exact embassies and consulates are targeted, hazmat teams and a large contingency of emergency responders were photographed outside dozens of consulates and embassies across Melbourne and Canberra on Wednesday, while a similar scene took place in Sydney on Monday.

The accused man is set to face a court hearing later on Thursday.