News / Four arrested in Poland following claims Russia shipped explosive parcels

Photo: DHL Express

Poland has arrested four people on allegations of endangering DHL freighters and crew, as concerns deepen over suspected Russian efforts to plant explosives in EU supply chains.

News of the arrests came yesterday with reports of another two suspects still at large amid international search efforts, as Poland openly accused the Russian security services of being behind recent activity and closed Russia’s consulate in Poznan.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for DHL declined to comment on the arrests, telling The Loadstar: “We don’t comment on open investigations.”

Citing investigators, Cargo Forwarder claimed that the suspects belong to a group allegedly sending packages containing dangerous materials, including hidden explosives, to fake recipients in the EU, Canada, the UK and US.

It further alleged the packages had been prepared so they ignite autonomously or explode while airborne or being trucked.

The arrests follow warnings last month from German officials to European logistics companies to be on the lookout for “unconventional incendiary devices” being sent via freight, after DHL packages caught fire at hubs in Birmingham and Leipzig in July.

In alleging Russian state involvement in the attacks, Poland has made public what many have suspected for months, with all the parcels involved having purportedly been sent from Baltic countries, one source citing Lithuania.

Further to this, a source told The Loadstar that while the incidents in DHL’s network had made headlines, it was not being singled out. It has been alleged that the perpetrators are sending parcels through different couriers to cover their tracks, the amount of explosive in each package kept markedly low, to make them hard to detect.

The Kremlin has repeatedly denied involvement, accusing the west of spreading “conspiracies”.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told the state-owned RIA Novosti news agency that Poland’s accusation and decision to close the consulate was “another hostile step”, which she promised would provoke “a painful response”.