Novichok Probe Hits Swindon as Medics Seize Car
The Novichok poisoning investigation just stepped up a gear. Police have seized a car in Swindon, marking the probe’s expansion into a third location. The white Audi was snatched from a quiet residential street in Wiltshire, with chilling images showing officers in gas masks and military gear wrapping it in plastic.
Swindon Joins Salisbury and Amesbury in Mystery
Swindon sits 40 miles from Salisbury, where ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were first poisoned. It’s also just 33 miles from Amesbury, where Dawn Sturgess tragically died last Sunday after handling a contaminated container. Her partner, Charlie Rowley, remains critically ill.
“We have arranged the transportation of a car from an address in Swindon this evening in relation to the on-going incident in Amesbury,” confirmed Wiltshire Police. They urged the public not to panic. “Those involved have the training and expertise to safely remove the vehicle.”
Car Could Be Key to Cracking the Case
Police have not confirmed if the car is heading to the government’s secretive Porton Down lab for testing. But it’s a crucial part of the hunt for the contaminated container police desperately want to find.
Rowley was in a red Ford Transit van the day he was poisoned. That vehicle’s already been taken for tests, and three other men inside the van were checked but showed no signs of exposure. Additionally, the bus used by Rowley and Sturgess the night before they fell ill tested negative for Novichok.
Officials sternly warn the public: do NOT pick up needles, syringes, or strange containers. The hunt for the poison source is the top priority.
Political Fallout: Defence Chief Points Finger at Russia
Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson blasted Russia, accusing it of carrying out a brazen attack on UK soil. “This is something I think the world will unite with us in condemning,” he said.
Russia quickly dismissed the claims, denying any involvement.
