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unlikely, particularly within the private sector, it is important to consider the risk profile of a company and implement appropriate risk management principles identifying the likelihood and consequence of an attack. Judges, lawyers, politicians, police and other public servants may all be at higher risk, as they interact with the criminal community on a more regular basis. Private companies on the other hand, should consider the risk of a rogue offender, jealous lover, recently terminated employee or a drug or mental impairment. The risk and public profile of a company may change rapidly and may be associated with staff turnover, new or existing projects or the public nature of company activity or incident.
Delivery red flags Mail and packages sent within Australia undergo limited screening, with the primary focus given to delivering the mail to the correct address in an appropriate time frame. Express post in particular, is subject to limited screening procedures and provides an avenue of transport for illegitimate and illegal products. Although the postal service implements appropriate policies, procedures and risk management practices when identifying and investigating hazardous and suspicious articles, and liaises with local law enforcement authorities, the risk of hazardous materials transiting the national mail service is much higher when compared to international deliveries governed by border protection and customs agencies. Recent incidents in Western Australia were only identified after the mail had been delivered, and by chance when a sorting machine tore an envelope in the mail sorting centre, revealing its contents and raising the alarm. In the case of letter bombs, packages do not normally contain timing devices, as the mail is too unpredictable for timing devices to be practical. A device which transits the mail is subject to rough handling and therefore letter or parcel bombs must be robust and are generally victim activated, ie, by opening it or removing it from its package. A variety of possible methods of delivery for letter and parcel bombs or contaminants are possible, for example: • They could be sent through the mail; • They could be personally delivered by the offender, paid messenger, or professional courier; or • They could be placed by the offender or a designate.
Risk identification It is important at an organisation level to ensure the people handling the mail are appropriately trained and remain vigilant and cautious. All employees handling mail items should be aware of the potential threat and emergency procedures for identifying and responding to suspicious articles, to ensure the safety of the organisation and its people. Any dangerous or hazardous items should be immediately reported to local law enforcement authorities. Hazardous materials may be packaged in a variety of ways, with size characteristics ranging from small envelope and cigarette packet size to table size. Previous incidents have seen hazardous materials disguised as letters, books, lollies, figurines, small statues and greeting cards. It is important
for people receiving mail not to fail to consider additional warning signs if the offender has been clever enough to use a return address familiar to the target. The Australian Bomb Data Centre (ABDC) provides recognition points for the identification of suspicious mail. The acronym EXPLOSIVE PARCEL is used to enhance identification and recognition for mail personnel and includes the following identification points: • Excessive securing material; • Xcessive weight; • Protruding wires or tin foil; • Lopsided or unevenly weighted; • Oily stains or discolouration; • Stiff or rigid envelope; • Is the package expected; • Visual distractions; • Excessive postage. • Proper names or title – not or incorrectly used; • Address – handwritten or poorly typed; • Restrictive markings – Confidential, For Your Eyes Only; • Common words misspelt; • Either unusual or of foreign origin; • Lacks address of sender. The ABDC advises the most common recognition points in Australia have been excessive weight, excessive securing material, unknown source, lopsided or uneven envelope, protruding wires and excessive postage.
Conclusion The majority of drugs and other illicit materials that are identified transiting the national postal service are identified from their smell and or poor packaging. Effective communication with local law enforcement also identifies higher risk periods when drugs and other substances are more likely to be sent. However, as the primary goal of the postal service is to deliver mail in an appropriate time frame, it is important for security personnel to ensure mail room employees are well trained and remain vigilant when handling incoming and outgoing mail. Effective and early identification of suspicious articles and hazardous materials can reduce the likelihood of an incident and limit the consequences of that incident through a corporate environment. Appropriately trained and prepared personnel supported by effective response policies and procedures will enhance the preparedness of an organisation in the event they encounter illegal and or illegitimate activity using the postal or mailing service. About the Author Clint Tomlinson is a Security Consultant at Amlec House and has conducted a range of risk management, organisation and corporate security, CCTV and public safety projects for a variety of public and private clients. Clint possesses a Bachelor of Science (Security) with a Major in Management from Edith Cowan University.
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