Davies Turner Air Cargo has been accredited under a new scheme aimed at tackling airfreight crime at London’s Heathrow Airport.

Accreditation followed a vigorous inspection of the company’s security regime by the Chief Accreditation and Crime Prevention Officer with the Metropolitan Police at the airport.
The Airfreight Industry Minimum Security Standards (AIMSS) scheme was launched at the end of last year. It aims to establish a common standard of security across the air cargo industry, as well as helping companies to provide a more secure service for their customers. The initiative was born out of the Greater London Metropolitan Police-led Operation Grafton - a multi agency response to high-value crime in and around London’s Heathrow Airport.
Comments Peter Castree, joint managing director of Davies Turner Air Cargo: “We fully appreciate that the transportation of all cargo requires an understanding of the associated risks, and the measures that can be taken to reduce those risks. We welcome the introduction of the AIMSS scheme to the Heathrow environment and are proud to have become one of the first freight forwarders to gain accreditation.
“Davies Turner Air Cargo has always operated strong, well thought out management procedures and policies to ensure the security of all the freight that is entrusted to us.
Castree noted that the AIMSS standard, produced in partnership with professional organisations and companies involved in the transportation, regulation and security of air cargo, provided a benchmark for the security operations of everyone involved in airfreight and in reducing the risks of crime and terrorist attack. The standard had been derived from existing good practice, specialist knowledge and general crime prevention principles.
“It is hoped that this standard will be used to raise the level of security across the industry as quickly as possible, both within and beyond the Heathrow environment, so that Davies Turner Air Cargo can deal with like-minded companies throughout the UK,” he said.
“In fact, we have already decided to ensure, in addition to meeting the current requirements for Aviation Security, that our network of 12 strategically-based airfreight branches throughout the UK must gain accreditation to the AIMSS scheme when it becomes available in their region.”
Speaking at the time of the launch of the AIMSS scheme, Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur said: “Companies holding the AIMSS badge will be recognised as having very high security standards and this can only be good for business.”