Overview

• A 15-year-old metal-detecting hobbyist brought home two sealed glass ampoules with white powder after finding them near Zeckern in the Erlangen-Höchstadt district.
• A relative who saw a photo of the teen’s display raised the alarm over possible cyanide, prompting police and fire crews to evacuate the family and launch a major response.
• Initial measurements on site produced no clear result, so the ampoules were sealed, moved into special containers, and additional analysis was arranged.
• A US Army hazardous-material unit from Katterbach advised local authorities during the examinations, police said.
• Police now report the material was likely decayed medications that have been disposed of as special waste, with agencies being notified and further searches of the find site considered unlikely.