LanChile ammunition incident still under investigation
The U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection and the Federal Aviation Administration have taken the lead from the Transportation Security Administration in the investigation of an illegal ammunition shipment aboard a LanChile passenger flight last month, according to the three agencies.
FAA and Customs spokespersons declined to comment on the incident or potential suspects because of the ongoing investigation. The FAA is part of the investigation because it regulates hazardous material shipments on aircraft.
As first reported by American Shipper, 12,000 rounds of ammunition labeled as computer parts were discovered by Ecuadorian authorities in Quito during a routine check of cargo following the arrival of a LanChile plane from Miami Sept. 17.
LanChile officials identified the shipper as Fenix Airways International, a Miami-based freight forwarder, but a TSA official said several transportation intermediaries seem to be involved in the transaction, complicating the investigation.