I am an Air Cargo Agent employed by US Air. I have been employed in that
job for eleven years. I reside at the above address.
My main responsibility is signing off airway bills, routing freight and
identifying and weighing freight when it comes into the warehouse located at
Building 154, Brewster Road, at Newark International Airport. I also
ensure that no one is sending restricted articles. Sergeant Rollin of the
Bermuda Police has shown me Airway Bill number 037 0110 6033.
I recognise
the document as being signed off by me. I have signed and dated the copy.
I recall that at 10.30pm on March 27th, 1990 I was at my job at the airport.
At this time I was working with another Agent Rasaq Are. I recall two men
arriving at the loading dock they were in an open back van. I do not
remember the type of colour. The men approached me and asked me about
shipping two television sets to Bermuda. I would describe them as follows:
the first one was about 6` approximately 160lbs he had short hair. He was
dressed smart casual but I cannot remember exactly what he was wearing. I
do not recall his accent.
The second man was a little darker skinned than the first one he was also a
little shorter about 5`10" - 5`9".
The taller of the two men asked me about sending two televisions to Bermuda on
US Air. I suggested to him that he go to Continental Airlines as their
flight is direct and ours goes through Baltimore. The man said that it was
O.K. as there was no rush. I assisted the two men to load the boxes onto
the dock where I weighed them. I then saw Rasaq Are start to load them
onto a pallet with the fork lift. I then filled in some of the information
on the Airway Bill #037 0110 6033. I filled in the Station of Origin.
I asked the taller of the two men for a telephone number for the Consignee in
Bermuda. He provided this and I wrote it on the document.
I routed the freight through Baltimore. I then indicated that it should be
held for pick up in Bermuda. I also put the weight of the two pieces on
the document. I then entered the time and date of receipt of the pieces on
the document. I asked the customer to sign the Airway Bill and he wrote in
KIOELI HARRIS. I then signed the bill. I then gave the original bill
and ten carbon copies to the customer and instructed him to pay for it at the
Cashier`s Window. The normal procedure would then be that the customer
would receive the original document. Copy #8 is retained in Newark.
The rest of the carbon copies are then forwarded with the shipment. Due to
company policy, I am unable to give the Bermuda Police Carbon Copy #8. The
two pieces consisted of boxes marked with a logo indicating that they contained
television sets. The boxes did not appear to have been tampered with and I
felt no need to open them up.
I have given Sergeant Rollin a photocopy of carbon copy number eight. It indicates that the customer paid cash for the shipment.
I have also signed and dated the photostat.
Joseph Valente
Statement recorded by DS Rollin bet 1650 and 1740 2/4/90. Present C/O
Bean.
Karen Bean |