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| Amazon has been fined £65,000 for trying to fly dangerous goods | Amazon has been fined £65,000 for trying to fly dangerous goods |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Amazon has been fined £65,000 after being found guilty of attempting to ship dangerous goods by air. | Amazon has been fined £65,000 after being found guilty of attempting to ship dangerous goods by air. |
| The online giant tried to transport lithium-ion batteries and flammable aerosols between 2014 and 2015. | The online giant tried to transport lithium-ion batteries and flammable aerosols between 2014 and 2015. |
| It was found guilty at Southwark Crown Court of causing dangerous goods to be delivered for carriage in an aircraft in breach of air navigation rules. | It was found guilty at Southwark Crown Court of causing dangerous goods to be delivered for carriage in an aircraft in breach of air navigation rules. |
| An Amazon spokesman said: "The safety of the public, our customers, employees and partners is an absolute priority." | An Amazon spokesman said: "The safety of the public, our customers, employees and partners is an absolute priority." |
| The prosecution had been brought by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) under the Air Navigation (Dangerous Goods) Regulations 2002. | The prosecution had been brought by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) under the Air Navigation (Dangerous Goods) Regulations 2002. |
| The items were destined for flights in and outside the UK in four shipments between January 2014 and June 2015. | The items were destined for flights in and outside the UK in four shipments between January 2014 and June 2015. |
| Flight-safety risk | Flight-safety risk |
| They were only discovered when the cargoes were screened by Royal Mail before departure, and seized before they could reach the aircraft. | |
| The court heard that Amazon had tried to ship a lithium-ion battery to Jersey on a day before 7 January 2014, and a flammable gas aerosol to Romania on a similar date. | The court heard that Amazon had tried to ship a lithium-ion battery to Jersey on a day before 7 January 2014, and a flammable gas aerosol to Romania on a similar date. |
| Another shipment, destined for Ireland on a day before 17 July 2014, contained another aerosol, while Amazon illegally tried to send two more lithium-ion batteries to Northern Ireland between 12 May and 3 June 2015. | Another shipment, destined for Ireland on a day before 17 July 2014, contained another aerosol, while Amazon illegally tried to send two more lithium-ion batteries to Northern Ireland between 12 May and 3 June 2015. |
| The CAA's general counsel, Kate Staples, said: "There are important international and domestic restrictions to prohibit the shipping of certain goods that pose a flight safety risk. | The CAA's general counsel, Kate Staples, said: "There are important international and domestic restrictions to prohibit the shipping of certain goods that pose a flight safety risk. |
| 'Everyday household items' | |
| "These dangerous goods include lithium batteries, which are banned from being transported as mail or cargo on a passenger aircraft unless they are installed in or packed with equipment." | "These dangerous goods include lithium batteries, which are banned from being transported as mail or cargo on a passenger aircraft unless they are installed in or packed with equipment." |
| Prosecutor Martin Goudie, told the court: "Under the right circumstances the batteries, even new, undamaged batteries, could overheat, potentially causing burns, explosion or a fire." | |
| Defending the online giant, lawyer Stephen Spence told the court: "We are not talking about Amazon lugging a propane canister onto a plane. They are everyday household items, and one should pay perspective to that." | |
| In a statement, Amazon said: "We ship millions of products every week and are confident in the sophisticated technologies and processes we have developed to detect potential shipping hazards. | In a statement, Amazon said: "We ship millions of products every week and are confident in the sophisticated technologies and processes we have developed to detect potential shipping hazards. |
| "We are constantly working to further improve and will continue to work with the CAA in this area." | "We are constantly working to further improve and will continue to work with the CAA in this area." |