Any details of Global Express 9H-FED

[robbreid]

ASN reports the aircraft was stolen from SVVA Valencia Venezuela - operator Hyperion Aviation of Malta - website down, email incorrect.

Just wondering if anyone has any details on owner/operator or whereabouts of the aircraft.

Last big incident out of this area was the Air Luxor Citation X

Air Luxor Crew arrested in CCS [Archive] - PPRuNe Forums (http://www.pprune.org/archive/index.php/t-150070.html)

[robbreid]

Just a note; company just took delivery of a brand new Global 6000 last month, serial number 9437 9H-AMF ex C-GITG (test reg).

Hyperion Aviation Ltd
Area 3, Security Gate 1,
Luqa LQA 3290 Malta

[franciscocesar]

It is not yet confirmed, but apparently the aircraft was legally flown from SVVA to SVMI. However, the news regarding the theft have "disappeared" from the local news.

[FLEXJET]

The aircraft departed in the middle of the night, when the airport was closed. They had arrived a few hours before and did a fuel uplift of 19000 LTR.

Maybe not stolen.

[FLEXJET]

Canarias7. Sucesos. Retienen en Gando un jet privado con un importante alijo de cocaína (http://www.canarias7.es/articulo.cfm?id=271666)

congrats to Interpol!

[Propellerpilot]

The contents of the article in spanish, translated by Google...

In a joint operation of the Senior Police and Civil Guard alerted by Interpol, this Sunday intercepted a private jet on a runway Gando Airport in Gran Canaria, suspecting that it might carry a large stash of cocaine boxes of humanitarian aid Red Cross.

The troops that participated in the operation at the airport in Gran Canaria on Sunday did not know the amount of drug that could carry the aircraft, although several sources said they found boxes in the hold of Red Cross humanitarian aid of 50 kilos each. According to investigative sources the plane came from Palm Beach International Airport in Miami, bound for an airport in Germany. The only occupants of the aircraft, a pilot, copilot and a flight attendant were held immediately after landing in Gran Canaria and are waiting for the police court and the Attorney Telde Las Palmas warehouse inspect the appliance and the load . The pilot of the plane is a Colombian national, while the rest of the cabin crew is German.

[robbreid]

Thanks for updates - I had heard it had landed at Gran Canaria but wasn't sure what happened. I'm 'assuming' the crew was Hyperions own crew - wonder if the Captain (stated to be a Colombian National) pulled this off on his own??

Funny that a aircraft with the registration 9H-'FED' lands in Florida with a load of Cocaine - with a Colombian pilot.(allegedly)!

[JanetFlight]

This just does not make any sense at all...why the hell they goes to an international and big&busy airport such as LPA, with full authorities at an 24H basis, carrying drugs, keeping the same registration(not even painted a new bogus one), instead of per example, went to a remote airstrip lost in the middle of Sahara or other african hidden place...i think the XRS could do it...It was the case as if "they were simple asking to get caught" by the law, just my 2 cents...Weird:confused:

[franciscocesar]

Said aircraft is detained in Gran Canaria Airport under suspicion of transporting drugs. It took off from SVVA with a flight plan to Tenerife, but did so before SVVA was open for operations. Several people detained. More information later.

[transilvana]

Well, Gran Canaria and Tenerife are entry places for drug smugglers and when police smells that something is wrong then is wrong.

[ACTAFLY]

Can You ajare the Lina where You got that information... Thank you

[robbreid]

A private plane intercepted by Spanish police at the airport on the island of Gran Canaria, after a notice to Interpol Venezuela, carrying more than one ton of cocaine disguised as humanitarian aid, Efe confirmed judicial sources.

The aircraft, with registration 9H-FED, Malta, was intercepted on Sunday and inspected yesterday under court supervision. In the log bales of cocaine were found wrapped in packaging with the emblems of an international humanitarian organization.

Three crew members, whose identities and nationalities were not made public, were arrested for the crime of drug trafficking.

The sources consulted by Efe have been unable to determine the weight of the contraband involved, but have insisted that over 1,000 kilos, an amount more than double the 400 kilos of cocaine seized in April on the island of La Graciosa, one of operations against major drug trafficking in recent years made ​​in the Spanish archipelago of the Canaries.

The monitoring of the aircraft was launched at dawn on Saturday to Sunday, when the Venezuelan government Interpol warned that a reactor had left without permission of the Arturo Michelena Airport in Valencia (Midwest).

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab20/bizjets101/9H-FEDCanaryIslands3.jpg

[robbreid]

I've read quite a bit in Venezuelan news casts and posts, here is the unofficial version;

Aircraft landed in Valencia at 23:00 Saturday local time - dropped off one female passenger (who may have flown to Spain commercially on Sunday)

Crew of three - Two German pilots, and an Austrian flight attendant remained with the aircraft. Airport closed for the night at 24:00.

Aircraft filed a flight plan to Brazil - however the aircraft departed at 02:26 Sunday morning without lights, and without authorization.

Instead of heading for Brazil the aircraft went to Florida - when it left Venezuelan airspace at 03:41 it triggered Venezuelan National Security Defense warning.

Authorities learned the intended destination was Benin in West Africa - by 08:00 an Interpol Red Notice had been issued internationally for the aircraft and crew - which were detained at Gran Canaries at 17:20 local time Sunday.

A total of 28 persons are said to be of interest to investigators in Venezuela - the passenger who was dropped off is said to be a Venezuelan citizen - female who boarded a commercial flight to Spain on Sunday and is now being sought.

Venezuelan authorities have opened an investigation to determine "the alleged responsibility of the persons and authorities that may be complicit with the takeoff without authorization of the aircraft."

[JanetFlight]

How could be possible that the intermediate airport between Venezuela and Canarias was in USA, (maybe the biggest country in the planet regarding security measures), after it was already well known about its model, registration, in world wide aviation foruns, boards, etc, and nothing was done there???
And does the XRS cannot fly direct from Southern Florida to Benim?:confused:
This keeps not doing any sense at all...

[Flaymy]

The worst thing about this is to think that two such idiots were not only qualified pilots but managed to get a job flying a decent aircraft. A much better-paid job than mine :sad:

[transilvana]

Captain is Colombian, F/O and F/A German. Drug money is an easy one to get, there are many options out there but you have to be really dumb to get it. When you read the news you see that they even use submarines to smuggle drugs into USA.

On the other hand no one leaves Venezuela without a clear order from the TOP, and that top is really corrupted.

[Haubennotabwurf]

Good evening

We should stop spreading wrong rumors until the facts are on the table (by offical sources). := At the moment we don't know the whole story behind the scenery and it is not fair to convict the crew/company :ugh::ugh:

Cheers!

[Coolmore M.]

wrong rumors until the facts are on the table

the news published that the Austrain foreign office confirmed that an Austrian aircraft occupant was arrested. I'm pretty sure this is a fact and proofs the rumors spread before

[mutt]

Yes but it is a "rumor" that the cockpit / cabin crew were involved..... Does any one of us know what our passengers are carrying?

Mutt

[Booglebox]

Haubennotabwurf, you know you're posting on a rumour network, right?

I think these guys got scuppered by departing supposedly "under the radar" but actually in primary radar coverage... Crime works best when it looks completely normal.

[robbreid]

Sounds like the Captain may be a German born in Colombia which would explain the confusion. link (http://www.canarias7.es/articulo.cfm?id=271863)

Google Translation;

Seeing how the National Police encircled the private plane, its pilot, a Colombian, 39, confessed to the agents of Red Cross packages were hiding a ton of cocaine. They had removed the seats of the luxurious jet to use the room as drug store. Cocaine from a Colombian cartel unknown to Interpol. The private jet pilot held since last Sunday in Gran Canaria airport confessed to the agents of the National Police that the Red Cross packages on the plane had actually hiding a ton of cocaine. His confession, as noted yesterday, sources close to the investigation, came before the agents proceed to examine the bales.

The three prisoners, the pilot, originally from Colombia and 39 years, the German co-pilot and 28, and wife of 29 years and also a German national, had removed all of the luxury airline seats to store 1,400 kilos of cocaine brought on board. Neither the National Police and Interpol itself, it was who gave the notice to its interception, knew what brought the plane. In fact, suspicions were among a shipment of weapons and cocaine. Finally, it was this second option.

What we do know is that the jet, which landed Sunday in Gran Canaria for fuel, when it was held, was that the flight was bringing an illegal shipment.


http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab20/bizjets101/9H-FED4.jpg

[jr of dallas]

1 ton of dope is something like 50 millions € on the market more or less...big gamble !

[Propellerpilot]

Quoting Malta Today: Police coordinate investigations into major Spanish drug bust on Maltese-registered jet - maltatoday.com.mt (http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/national/Police-coordinate-investigations-into-major-Spanish-drug-bust-on-Maltese-registered-jet-20120816)

"Officers from Malta's Security Services played a major role in an Interpol seizure of an estimated tonne of cocaine on board a luxury private jet in the Canary Islands this week.

The jet, a Bombardier BD-700, registered in Malta with call sign 9H-FED, was raided by Spanish police as it landed in Gran Canaria last Monday night. Two German pilots and an Austrian crew attendant have been arrested in connection with the haul.

The plane, owned by Hyperion Aviation which operates at Malta International Airport, remains grounded at Gran Canaria airport, as intensive international investigations continue. "What I can say is that our company has assisted the Maltese and Spanish authorities all throughout, and what I can say is that we were immediately in contact with them soon after an forced and unauthorised take-off from Valencia, Venezuela was made," said Eric Wiesskopf, Hyperion Aviation chief executive in comments to MaltaToday.

While denying the "Miami-Vice-flavour" attributed to the story in foreign press reports, suggesting that the plane flew from Venezuela to Miami before flying to Europe, Wiesskopf said that both Interpol and his company will issuing a formal statement to the media tomorrow.

A search on board the aircraft yielded boxes with International Red Cross signs on them containing packs of solid cocaine.

The plane had previously landed in Venezuela from Trinidad and Tobago, while its flight plan indicated that it came from Granada. Officially, it was intended to fly from Venezuela to Brazil, but landed on Monday in Gran Canaria. Press reports said the aircraft's crew filed a flight plan to Brazil, but flew out without lights, and without authorisation. Reports have suggested that the intended destination was Benin in West Africa.

A Malta police source close to the investigations told MaltaToday the plane dropped off a female Australian passenger in Venezuela, who latercaught a commercial flight to Spain. This passenger is currently being sought by Interpol.

While Interpol is said to be looking into the alleged involvement of some 28 people who may be connected to the case, Venezuelan authorities have also launched an investigation into the accomplices who facilitated the unauthorised take-off from Valencia's Arturo Michelena's airport.

Speaking to Venezuela television this morning, the country's interior and security minister Tareck El Aissami said that his country is looking into every aspect of the case. "Venezuela has started an investigation to determine the alleged responsibility of people and authorities who may be involved in the unauthorised departure of this jet plane from national territory," the minister said, while confirming arrests have been made."

Declaraciones del ministro Tareck El Aissami- 13/08/2012 - YouTube (http://youtu.be/fZMM1srXgiw)

[Propellerpilot]

Quoting:Besatzung des Kokain-Jets behauptet bedroht worden zu sein: Comprendes-GranCanaria.de - Das Kanarenmagazin (http://www.comprendes-grancanaria.de/news/newsdetails/datum/2012/08/16/besatzung-des-kokain-jets-behauptet-bedroht-worden-zu-sein/) translated by Google:

"The three crew members of the Jet, who were caught with a ton of cocaine at the airport of Las Palmas claim they were kidnapped in Venezuela by a paramilitary group, which forced them to transport the drugs to Benin. The masked and heavily armed men allegedly threatened to kill the families of the three, unless they should meet their demands. The crew are two German men and one woman from Austria.

It is well known that the route flown is often used by the Colombian mafia to transport their drugs. The goods thus arrives via Africa to Europe to be sold there at a profit. The crew had reportedly informed the Company in Switzerland during the flight about the events, according to their testimony led to the contact with Interpol. This claim, however, seems to be far from reality.

The explanations of the crew has not dismissed the charges against the three, because so far no single case is known where the drug mafia passed their goods to unknown persons, who have nothing to do with the scene. Interpol also indicates that they were not informed by the management of the company, raising further suspicions. The Venezuelan government had informed Interpol, which had in turn contacted the authorities of the Canary Islands together.

Investigators in Venezuela are also claiming that there is another accomplice who allegedly flew with a flight of the airline Iberia from Caracas to Madrid, where she is currently wanted by the authorities. The employer of the suspects is a company that specializes in luxury flights. An involvement of this company in the case can still not 100% excluded."

[wondering]

Will be interesting to see how the story unfolds. Why on earth would a crew of three and possible more ppl responsible with the operation of the aircraft in their right mind conspire to such crime? There must be more to it.

According to the www 9H-FED is ex OE-LAF. Does anybody know if there is a connection between the present owner and the previous owner?

[farmer jo]

Same Guy - different Operator, some of the Crew went with the Plane including the CEO

[Propellerpilot]

Aeronave fue presuntamente robada del Aeroclub de Valencia - Sucesos - Entorno Inteligente (http://www.entornointeligente.com/articulo/1300062/Aeronave-fue-presuntamente-robada-del-Aeroclub-de-Valencia-rss-13082012)

[His dudeness]

I know the captain, have worked with him in a previous job.

I can`t imagine him being so stupid to carry drugs without being forced to do so. He indeed has family, so a thread would be possible.

Just hope I will never come close to something like that.

[His dudeness]

@His dudeness: you probably will not or at least be better off, because you would have handled the situation differently. At least I would hope so. Mistakes were made, possibly making things worse.

You sound as if you know more about the case ?
If he is innocent - which - for the sake of his wife and really lovely little daughter I hope he is - then that whole affair is a nightmare.

I know that he is a controversial character, but I have no axe to grind with him, he never did try to harm me. (at least I´m not aware of anything...)

[falconer1]

personally cannot imagine that a crew of such an aircraft would be part of such a scheme..

could imagine that that crew had been under severe stress...maybe an armed gang forced them to load up the stuff...

could imagine that the crew then decided to bugger off into the darkness and proceeded to LPA...probably having informed their company via Satcom about their distress, and naturally keeping quiet on ATC until well out of range of Venezuela, as we all know that this Chavez is one of the biggest drug gangsters in South America anyway..

could imagine, that that plane, as obviously having been operated before by another company, and the new operator actually consisted of ex members of the former operator / managemant company, that maybe the former operator of said bird with some connections had set them up..

looks like some low-life set up to me..

personally do not understand why any operator in his or her right mind even considers to go to any of those South American drug states..one must be pretty desperate to take on such a charter..

[INNflight]

why any operator in his or her right mind even considers to go to any of those South American drug states

with all due respect... really? REALLY? :ugh:

[wondering]

Whatever the truth behind the story, I would start to worry about the owner of the 'merchandise'. Can´t image him simply writing it off. Someone will pay the price one way or another. Good luck to all involved.

[falconer1]

you are right..that was a stupid emotional statement on my part..

however it is unfortunately true for some of those countries, Venezuela included..

I am 100% sure that that crew of that Global was forced to take on that load under threat, and such druggangs are no jokers, so the crew in all certainty did have no options..other than sneaking out lowlevel and make the first stop logically in LPA ( and not Westafrica or wherever they should have flown that cargo to..)

and the question therefore still remains why that aircraft, and by whom, it had been booked to fly to Venezuela? That is the question that the authorities will have to find an answer to and that will solve the case..

[transilvana]

Another reason for brokers and companies not to book any flights in the area. The Citation X story is still present on our memories.

[falconer1]

Propellerpilot- I basically fully agree with you..

however let us look at the options..

let us just assume that the crew sped off without any of the gangsters on board..lets say the crew told them that they will need around 30 minutes APU time before they could fly out...then with nobody else except themselves on board, they closed the door and started the motors as soon as the IRUs were up and flew off without lights...low level as fast as possible out of Venezuelan airspace..that's important, they had to assume that if intercepted over Venezuela and forced to land, they could have ended up in any jail or dead very soon..half of those arrested in Venezuela in that case, if true what is reported were from the National Guard..Chavez and his cronies are knee deep in drugs too..so anyway they took off and left as fast as possible...and tried to get out of reach of ANY Venezuelan authority...smart move

where to go now? To any Carribean state..or Mexico of all places...? Better not...the cartels are also at home there, they would not survive a night after landing there...

To the US?...well yes that is a possibility, IF you chose to lose the plane...the plane would have been impounded by the US in any case...and would have been lost for the owner, even if it is not the owner/operator's fault or the crew is not involved in the drug thing..that Global would already "belong" to the US government now if impounded there..

so off they went for Spain...the EU quite probably being the safest place for them, as all crew are EU citizens..

maybe I got it all wrong...but if that is what had happened, they did the right thing..but could be that I am completely wrong...but whatever has been reported up to date would let me assume what I wrote before..

we will not know before any final statements come from the operator and/or authorities...but those statements have not been made yet, which lets me believe that there still is a major sting ops going on now in that case and the authorities do not want to endanger their ops by providing too much info for the time being..

[falconer1]

still true, still happening every week..

Chavez, Drug Cartels and Terrorism Funding - CBN.com - YouTube

[Propellerpilot]

Just bear in mind on the XRS there is also a Sat-Phone and even Internet. That opens many possibilities to get help from different sources and also the ability to place a direct call to inform your wife instantly and advise her to call or go to the nearest police station and get personal protection until the matter is resolved and the family is safe. That would have been my primary concern. Plane impounded - who cares ? Would you honestly care if you would have been threatened the way they where ?

[falconer1]

Propellerpilot- let us agree that we only speculate now..

there is absolutely NO confirmed info in any media on what really has happened..

the only fact that seems clear is, that a Global full of dope had left Venezuela in the middle of the night without talking to ATC AND had landed at LPA, an EU airport.

Now, yes, I speculate, because I assume ( maybe wrongfully) but still I am sure, that that Global had a crew of lawabiding qualified pilots and a FA who had been caught up in developments beyond their control...over there..

What the pilot obviously COULD control with a bit of luck, was the way OUT...

the way OUT and that seems completely logical to me, with a Global with full tanks was across the ocean as close as possible to home and land on EU territory..

the rest of the story I guess we will read in the news once the authorities deem the time fit and right..

P.S.: Imagine yourself in the very uncomfortable situation of that crew ( if innocent)..do you want to create havoc over the internet by mails or by satcom calls?...OR do you want to talk in person to a European police officer at the logical place you have elected to land, in that case LPA and explain the situation in all detail face-to-face and take it from there...and to do that you have to "aviate - navigate " and put that plane down where you deem it safest first..

[Propellerpilot]

You are right - I agree. Let us wait and see...

[falconer1]

that Flohr, the founder of Vistajet emphazises the importance of the "West African Market" and says that he was "surprised" himself of how well it took off in 2010..

not saying that there may not be a market there...but, kinda interesting..in the context with Globals and such..is it just the "oil crowd" there..??

Flohr Says Vistajet Plans to Expand Into China in 2011 - YouTube

[transilvana]

Whatever tells Flohr about the market is out of the post. He already has their own problems.

Some of us know the problems of Nigeria and the region surroundings, better not to get close. Oil? sure but not the only reason: gold, diamonds, drugs, slavery, guns...

Last week someone told me a story about a Global who had to be changed the whole overwing fuselage part because they were transporting hughe amounts of gold and the fuselage bent.

Until full investigation takes place, which may be a long time, we will not know for sure the reason of this flight but I bet my balls that on Venezuela they new it quite well. I have not been in a so corrupted country in my life and I´ve been in quite a lot.

[Glex Driver]

Guys,

this kind of dope is worth 8 Milo USD per 50 KG. this sums up to around 225 Mio. USD.
this kind of cash call for a complete different ballgame, motivation and magnitude. Picture the guy that just lost his load....

[CharlesW]

Hello Everyone, my first post to address questions and issues regarding bust. will be making assertions without backing them up. not here to convince anyone. I'm interested in facts and thoughts about this case.

The load belongs to the Venezuelan gov. Goes to the top. Nothing said can be believed.

There where caught and they don't know how. The massive cover up is sloppy.

The seats removed proves premeditation and complicity.

Another unnamed country provided tipoff

What was the final destination? Russia, Syria or Iran

[robbreid]

A court in the central Venezuelan state of Carabobo ordered 18 people jailed provisionally, including nine Bolivarian National Guard (GNB) agents and a member of the Sebin intelligence service, in the case of a drug-running aircraft that was nabbed in Spain.


The federal Attorney General's Office said in a communique on Saturday that 18 people remain in jail of the 24 detained after the unauthorized takeoff last weekend of a private plane, which was subsequently impounded on the Spanish island of Gran Canaria along with the 1,588 kilos (1 3/4 tons) of very pure cocaine it was carrying.
Venezuelan Interior Minister Tareck el Aissami said that the plane took off in the wee hours of Aug. 13 from Arturo Michelena International Airport in the central city of Valencia without authorization and with the runway lights turned off, and that Venezuelan authorities quickly notified Interpol and several European countries including Spain.


The AG's office said that those implicated are accused of drug trafficking and illicit association, and that among those in custody, besides the Bolivarian National Guard agents, are an air traffic controller, two officials of Civil Aviation, or INAC, an airport guard and four people associated with a naval services company.


Also accused, but only required to report in periodically, are airport President Freddy Rodriguez, General Manager Jaime Palacios, and the director of airport operations, Anibal Jose Rojas, all suspected accomplices of a drug trafficking operation.


Also accused under those conditions are another two National Guard agents.
Venezuelan authorities said during the week that the aircraft, a Bombardier BD-7000 with the Maltese registration 9HFED, had landed in Venezuela last Saturday night on a flight from Trinidad and Tobago, though its flight plan said it came from Grenada.


The flight plan also indicated that the plane was scheduled to fly the next day to Brazil, but instead took off Sunday at 2:26 a.m. local time (0700 GMT) with the airport closed, and was headed east at the time Interpol was notified.


The head of the Spanish police, Ignacio Cosido, said Wednesday that the seizure of 1 3/4 tons of cocaine from the aircraft on Gran Canaria would mean "a powerful blow" to drug trafficking rings operating in Venezuela. EFE


source (http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2012/08/18/police-1-venezuela-security-agent-jailed-in-airplane-drug-case/)

[Dont worry]

Any news yet?
Heard that the Crew was released from prison.

[transilvana]

no news no the spanish press

[bizjets101]

Aircraft involved 9H-FED currently listed for re-sale by Bombardier.

4145 hours, 1434 landings, no price . . .

[robbreid]

Randomly stumbled across this story update;

A Charter Pilot Becomes an Unwilling Mule for 1.5 Tons of Cocaine - SPIEGEL ONLINE (http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/a-charter-pilot-becomes-an-unwilling-mule-for-1-5-tons-of-cocaine-a-1007402.html)

'Karl Lückert* can only smile wryly at the massive security effort. He once landed in Valencia as the pilot of a private jet of the kind often booked by CEOs, stars and the wealthy. In August 2012, he touched down at Arturo Michelena for what he thought would be a routine, and brief, stopover. But things turned out differently. So differently that, in subsequent days, he found himself confronted with the choice between losing his life or acting as a drug courier. Indeed, as a consequence of that layover, he was forced to burn all bridges to the life he had led to that point and take on a new identity. Now, over two years later, the man who forced Lückert into the drug trade may soon be facing trafficking charges in a US court.'

[galaxy flyer]

Looking at the striping and the times and landings, I'm guessing it is MSN 9234.

GF

[flydive1]

Randomly stumbled across this story update;

A Charter Pilot Becomes an Unwilling Mule for 1.5 Tons of Cocaine - SPIEGEL ONLINE (http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/a-charter-pilot-becomes-an-unwilling-mule-for-1-5-tons-of-cocaine-a-1007402.html)

'Karl Lückert* can only smile wryly at the massive security effort. He once landed in Valencia as the pilot of a private jet of the kind often booked by CEOs, stars and the wealthy. In August 2012, he touched down at Arturo Michelena for what he thought would be a routine, and brief, stopover. But things turned out differently. So differently that, in subsequent days, he found himself confronted with the choice between losing his life or acting as a drug courier. Indeed, as a consequence of that layover, he was forced to burn all bridges to the life he had led to that point and take on a new identity. Now, over two years later, the man who forced Lückert into the drug trade may soon be facing trafficking charges in a US court.'

Well, what about all those in this thread that enjoyed accusing a throwing **** at the crew in this thread?

I, for one, I hope I will never find myself in a similar situation to this crew.