Philadelphia/Newark/London, Oct. 29: Law enforcement officials are investigating reports of suspicious packages on cargo planes in the eastern US cities of Philadelphia and Newark, New Jersey, and in East Midlands in Britain.
A suspicious package was found in a freight distribution centre at East Midlands Airport in central England, police said.
“At 3.28 am (0238 GMT) this morning police dealt with a report of a suspicious package within a distribution centre at East Midlands Airport,” a police statement said.
In Philadelphia, Transportation Security Administration spokeswoman Kristin Lee says the planes landed safely and are being swept by law enforcement.
The planes have been moved to a remote location so law enforcement officials can investigate.
Earlier, CNN cited a law enforcement official as saying a suspected bomb disguised as a toner cartridge was found on a US cargo plane in London during a stopover on a flight from Yemen to Chicago.
However, it later cited a second law enforcement source as saying suspicions were raised because the toner cartridge had been manipulated but a test for explosives proved negative.
Philadelphia International Airport spokeswoman Victoria Lupica says Philadelphia police and other agencies are with a plane at a remote part of that airport.
Video from the airport shows emergency vehicles around a UPS jet.
A spokeswoman for United Parcel Service Inc. did not immediately know what prompted authorities to search the flight at Philadelphia.
The company says it is working closely with authorities.