News reports states Kim Jong-nam, eldest son of Kim Jong-il and half-brother of Kim Jong-un was assassinated by using VX (nerve agent) at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
VX never agent , O-ethyl S-[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl] methylphosphonothioate, is listed under Schedule 1:A, Toxic chemicals, under The chemical Weapon Convention (CWC) and has no known commercial use other than the use in chemical warfare
The Chemical Weapon Convention groups the chemicals under three schedules which are:
- Schedule 1: High risk chemicals which have no use in the commercial industry.
- Schedule 2: Toxic chemicals having significant risk; not generally produced commercially in large quantities.
- Schedule 3: Toxic chemicals produced large scale commercially for legitimate purposes but also have potential to be used in chemical weapons.
The most important question is how the assassins could bring VX nerve agent to the airport, how and why security measures at airports couldn’t detect this?
Security for Dangerous Goods in Transport is as vital as compliance to safety.
Chapter 1.4 of IMDG Code deals with Security provisions. Any shore-based company personnel, ship-based personnel and port facility personnel engaged in the transport of dangerous goods should be aware of the security requirements for such goods, in addition to those specified in the ISPS Code, and commensurate with their responsibilities.
Further High consequence dangerous goods are those which have the potential for misuse in a terrorist event and which may, as a result, produce serious consequences such as mass casualties, mass destruction or, particularly for class 7, mass socio-economic disruption.
Is your transport organization secure?
Further reading