ND Department of Agriculture Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OCTOBER 13, 2004

COOPERATION RESULTED IN RECOVERY OF CYANIDE

BISMARCK – Following the recovery of a container of deadly sodium cyanide, authorities are continuing their investigation into the shipment and probable illegal use of chemical in North Dakota.

“Finding that barrel was obviously the number one priority,” said Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson. “Now that it is in safe hands, it is time to find out how and why it got here in the first place.”

The 110-pound container of Cyanobrik® was found late Wednesday, deep in some cattails in a ditch along N.D. Highway 1, three miles south of Brocket. It had been reported missing Sept. 30, when it fell off a truck. Two other drums that had fallen off the truck had been found earlier.

“Ramsey County Sheriff Steve Nelson and his department did an outstanding job in leading the search for that container,” Johnson said. “Thanks to them and to the cooperation of many agencies, a potential tragedy was avoided.”

North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) pesticide personnel Jim Gray, Doug Johnston, Ken MacDonald and Julie Tronson, and Duane Mills, Memphis, TN, a representative of DuPont, manufacturer of the chemical, also took part in the search. It was Mills who actually found the keg about 6:30 p.m.

Searchers covered more than 20 miles on foot and on all-terrain vehicles Wednesday, looking for the container.

Agencies involved included the Devils Lakes Fire Department and Rural Fire Department, Ramsey County Emergency Management, the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office, Lakota Fire Department, North Dakota State Health Department, the State Department of Emergency Management, the North Dakota Department of Transportation, the Highway Patrol, the State Crime Laboratory and the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, as well as Ramsay County authorities. The case initially drew the attention of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the FBI, but after it was learned that the chemical was intended for beekeeping, it became an agricultural regulatory matter and NDDA took the lead role.

Johnson said that some North Dakota beekeepers have apparently been using sodium cyanide to fumigate their hives before transporting them to other states.

“Such use has long been illegal and must stop,” Johnson said. “We intend to find out how and where the chemical was obtained and who has been using it. We will then take the proper administrative action at the conclusion of our investigation, which will likely take months to complete.”

Since the incident was first reported, NDDA investigators have located 18 containers of sodium cyanide at five locations in North Dakota. All have been tagged with stop-sale orders. All have been traced to the same dealer and represent the dealer’s entire sales of the chemical this year.

Sodium cyanide is used in extracting precious metals, case-hardening steel and electroplating. It has no registered agricultural use.

Johnson said that there is no evidence that honey is not safe to eat. It is believed that the cyanide gas is used to disinfect the hives after the honey is removed. Such use poses no risk to honey consumers, but could possibly endanger the persons handling the cyanide or the environment.

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MEDIA: For more information, please call Roger Johnson at (701) 328-4754.