DHS officers stroll around 'secure' warehouses

US air cargo is "vulnerable to the introduction of explosives and other destructive items" during pre-flight ground transport, storage and handling, according to a report by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

While testing the new regime to secure cargo for carriage on passenger aircraft, DHS officers were able to enter warehouses where cargo was stored prior to flights and walk around unchallenged.

Some workers handling cargo had also not received required background checks or training, the report said.

It concluded that the oversight process created and implemented by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for the air cargo sector "has not been effective in ensuring that requirements for securing air cargo during ground transport are understood or followed".

It criticised the TSA's inspection process for "focusing on quantity rather than outcomes, and ensuring corrective actions".

It added: "Automated tools to assist inspectors in analysing results and focusing their oversight efforts on highrisk areas in air cargo security were not adequate."

The DHS said it was making six recommendations to the TSA.

"The agency concurred with five recommendations and partially concurred with another, " the report said.

Responding to the criticisms, the TSA told IFW: "We have adopted a risk-based approach to inspections.

"This methodology was implemented in full in the financial year 2010 and focuses our inspector resources on entities that are deemed higher risk due to previous non-compliance, including ground movement.

"We have already shown a marked decrease in high-risk entities by using this approach.

"The very fact that our inspectors are finding these issues and enforcing regulations in this regard is indicative of a robust and thorough programme."