Counter-terror police are investigating whether or not Russia had any involvement after a suspicious bundle caught hearth at a DHL warehouse within the West Midlands.
A police spokesperson confirmed that “a package at the location caught alight” and it was “dealt with by staff and the local fire brigade at the time”.
They added: “Due to the circumstances, and the specialist capability and expertise in investigating such matters, the investigation is being led by officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command with support from colleagues from Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands.
“As a part of our enquiries, officers are liaising with different European regulation enforcement companions to determine whether or not this will likely or will not be linked to another similar-type incidents throughout Europe.”
Nobody was injured and the blaze was extinguished by the native hearth brigade in the course of the incident in Minworth, Birmingham, on 22 July, officers mentioned.
No arrests have been made.
It comes as authorities in Germany examine a number of fires thought to have been attributable to incendiary gadgets hidden inside parcels at a warehouse in Leipzig earlier this 12 months.
Officers warned companies in August that “dangerous parcels” could be in circulation.
On Monday, Thomas Haldenwang, the top of Germany’s home intelligence company, advised a parliamentary committee {that a} aircraft crash had solely narrowly been averted when an air freight parcel caught hearth.
The prosecutor basic’s workplace within the nation declined to touch upon a potential hyperlink to Russia.
A spokesperson for DHL mentioned: “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.”
