U.K. faults UPS cargo screening

U.K. faults UPS cargo screening    Express delivery company UPS confirmed on its Web site Friday that the U.K. Department of Transport has restricted its ability to screen packages for bombs at several sort facilities until it improves its security procedures.
   The Atlanta-based carrier said the decision has caused delivery of many packages to be delayed. The company is using alternative means to get packages screened by outside parties for placement on aircraft, has communicated with customers, and expects service levels to return to normal early this week, it said.
   'In cooperation with the Department for Transport, UPS continues to assess the operation of its U.K. network to ensure full compliance with EU and U.K. security requirements, leading to a higher level of service to its customers,' the UPS statement said without going into detail about the security procedures that need correcting or the number of affected sites.
   Last fall, an intelligence tip led authorities to discover plastic explosives concealed in desktop printers shipped from Yemen at a FedEx site in Dubai and the UPS facility at East Midlands Airport in the United Kingdom. The United States and United Kingdom quickly added requirements for how high-risk mail and packages should be handled, and British officials ordered a security review of all inbound international air cargo operations.
   Cargo security rules for all-cargo carriers differ from those of passenger airlines. UPS and FedEx are known to have X-ray machines at some of their hubs in addition to other security protocols. They are widely considered to have some of the strongest security procedures in the industry because of their closed networks and their ability to track each package. Inspections are typically based on shipping information that triggers a suspicion.