News / Europe's logistics operators tighten security after alert by UK counter-terror services

© Stoyan Yotov |

Details are emerging of an investigation by counter-terrorism police into a fire at a DHL warehouse in the UK, after fears an incendiary device was planted by Russian spies. 

Nobody was injured in the blaze at the DHL parcels warehouse in Minworth, Birmingham, on 22 July, but also late that month, a DHL package from the Baltics caught fire at its Leipzig hub and investigators are looking into links between the two incidents.  

The Birmingham parcel is thought to have been flown into the UK, causing heightened concerns. The UK Guardian newspaper reported that Thomas Haldenwang, the head of Germany’s domestic intelligence service, told parliament on Monday that, had the Leipzig package started burning during a flight, “it would have resulted in a crash”. 

A Metropolitan police counter-terrorism spokesperson told media: “We can confirm that officers from counter-terrorism policing are investigating an incident at a commercial premises in Midpoint Way, Minworth. 

“On Monday 22 July, a package at the location caught alight. It was dealt with by staff and the local fire brigade at the time and there were no reports of any injuries or significant damage.” 

A spokesperson for DHL said: “DHL Express Europe is taking risk mitigation actions to secure its network, staff and assets, as well as customer shipments, by implementing strengthened security measures across the European countries as a reaction to ongoing investigations by authorities from several countries.” 

Last month, German authorities warned European logistics companies that “unconventional incendiary devices” were being sent via freight services. 

And DHL is not the only company affected: the authorities noted in a letter to the industry that “several consignments dispatched by private individuals in Europe … caught fire …in several European countries”. 

The packages were said to contain electronic consumer devices and containers with liquids and the German Constitution office warned that more parcels containing incendiary devices were expected, claiming it was an attempt to “deliberately damage freight service companies and other logistics infrastructure in western countries”. 

The head of the UK’s MI6 intelligence service warned last month that Russia was becoming “feral and reckless” in its attacks on the UK and Europe, using criminal gangs for state-sponsored attacks. 

Meanwhile, at the start of this month, a Chinese national was arrested in Leipzig on suspicion of passing on information about Leipzig-Halle Airport, used by the German defence industry. The woman had worked for a logistics company at the airport and had passed on details of flights and military cargo transport, primarily on shipments from defence company Rheinmetall, which has supplied Ukraine with weapons, armoured vehicles and other military equipment.