‘Fake bomb’ sent from UK by courier

The UPS flight travelled to Turkey without the suspicious device being detected.

The Department for Transport said it was taking the matter “very seriously”.

A 26-year-old man was arrested at his home last week on suspicion of making a bomb hoax, police said.

A police spokesman said: “He was taken to a north London police station and later bailed to return to a date in May.

“A search was undertaken at an address in north London in connection with this inquiry and is now complete. This is not terrorist-related.”

A Turkish man delivered the package, which had a timer, wires and detonator and was placed inside a wedding cake box, to a UPS office in north London a fortnight ago.

The arrested man was taken to a north London station and bailed to return in May. Police who carried out a search at an address in north London, said the incident was not terrorist-related.

A Department for Transport spokesman said: “The Government is aware of this incident and takes it very seriously.

“We have already begun an investigation which will look at all aspects of this incident, including UPS’s procedures.

“The UK has one of the toughest security regimes for air cargo in the world – all security measures are subject to continuous review.”

A UPS spokeswoman said: “Two weeks ago, a suspicious package travelled within the UPS network aboard an all-cargo aircraft from the United Kingdom to Istanbul, Turkey.

“UPS is co-operating with the UK Department for Transport’s investigation of the incident. UPS has a multiple-layered approach to ensure security.”

The incident has raised concern over the ability of courier companies to scan items sent internationally.

Last October a bomb disguised as an ink cartridge was found on a UPS cargo plane at East Midlands Airport.

Police later said it was timed to detonate over the eastern seaboard of the United States and the bomb, along with another found in Dubai, contained at least 10 ounces of the powerful explosive PETN.
Source: Sky News