Amazon fined by London court for transporting dangerous goods

Amazon UK has been fined £65,000 after it was found to have attempted to ship dangerous goods through the air.

The case relates to the transportation of lithium-ion batteries and flammable aerosols in 2014 and 2015.

The judge at Southwark crown court said that the US-headquartered company had been repeatedly warned on its possible breaches of aviation standards.

On top of the fine, the company was ordered to pay £60,000 in prosecution costs.

Amazon was found guilty of "systemic failure", after it allowed the dangerous items onto four separate shipments during the time in question.

"Amazon knew from early 2013, if not before, that lithium batteries on their own were causing a problem. No special system was put in place for dealing with lithium batteries in particular and distinguishing between orders where they were with equipment and those where they were not," Judge Michael Grieve QC said.

The prosecution was brought by the Civil Aviation Authority, following an interception of the goods by Royal Mail and UPS.

A spokesman for the ecommerce giant said that "the safety of the public, our customers, employees and partners is an absolute priority."

The company has this year reported recorded sales and profits, mostly as a result of a push towards its Prime subscriptions.