In August 2024, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the Federal Criminal Police Office in Germany sent a security notice to companies in the aviation and logistics sectors.
The security authorities warned against unconventional incendiary devices being sent via freight service providers. The warning stressed that there have already been several cases in which parcels sent by private individuals in Europe have caught fire during transport.
The warning is linked to an incident at the DHL logistics center in Leipzig, where a package from the Baltics containing an incendiary device caught fire in July 2024. Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution President Thomas Haldenwang explained that only a lucky coincidence prevented a crash, as the package remained on the ground and did not catch fire during the flight. According to security circles, the incident is linked to Russian sabotage. The delay in the onward flight of the package at DHL could have been crucial in avoiding a catastrophe.
The authorities are appealing to companies in the aviation and logistics sectors to exercise increased caution and carefully check suspicious packages.
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