SAA Crew Arrests at LHR
 

According to the BBC 15 crew from SAA have been arrested over alleged drug related offences.
BBC NEWS | UK | Cabin crew held over drug haul

From the Guardian today;

LONDON (AP) — Fifteen crew members of a South African Airways flight that landed in London were arrested Tuesday after a large shipment of cannabis and cocaine was found in their luggage, customs officials said.

Bob Gaiger of HM Revenue and Customs said the flight attendants and pilots on a flight from Johannesburg to London were taken into custody at Heathrow Airport as they passed through customs.

He said customs officials found 110 pounds (50 kilograms) of cannabis in three of their bags. One of the bags also contained around eight pounds (4 kilograms) of cocaine, worth around 160,000 pounds ($222,000).

Gaiger said it was not immediately clear who the bags belonged to.

South African Airways was not immediately available to comment on the arrests.

Any chance someone planted those drugs in their luggage?

Bad. Very very bad. I hope there's an explanation to this, but considering that most aircrew maintain direct control of their bags all the time, the explanation is going to have to be pretty fancy.

Did SAA manage to scratch enough crew together to get the a/c out on Tuesday evening for the return leg? If not, that's will have cost SAA a considerable amount of money and custom.

No guesses for colour --- of bags
 

The smuggling of drugs by the cabin crew of SAA is not new. This was not planted and is no accident. They have done so in the past. About a year ago they were caught twice within a period of 10 days in London. This complete disregard for the law is symptomatic of our way of life here. The current leaders of this country have contempt for the law and as long as they continue to adopt the attitude of " your only crime is getting caught" then this filters right through our society. The president of the ANC, Jacob Zuma is a good example

The short answer : NO!

Well, one assumes they are bound to say they were planted but as it looks as though LHR may have been tipped off rather than a random rummage by customs let's hope their is sufficient history and evidence to nail them, like their fingerprints on the packages etc.

Cool Detachment Gone Off Radar
 

Gentlemen,

With not the least intent to be judgmental, I make the following observation:

In virtually all aviation matters regarding flt crews, the going-in-position of this forum is "I wasn't there. Let's wait for the data and then make a judgment."

In this case, however, there is ABSOLUTELY no chance the drugs were planted and the buggers should be jailed forthwith.

If I were a sociologist, I'd be seriously concerned that Political Correctness (a masking of truth) has gone far enough to prompt such an unexpectedly strong reaction from one of the most admired and respected professional groups in the world.

Sorry to go off thread.

ED

Ahhh, just how do you know?

Really?:ugh::rolleyes:

Who travels with enough empty space in their suit cases to allow a further 16kg to be added (50kg/3)? If planted what was taken out to make room :-)

I just came bk from JNB... As we put 18 crewbags into the hold, only 17 arrived at the belt in JNB!!!!:mad::mad::mad::yuk::yuk::yuk::yuk::yuk::yuk:

Coming back we where down by another 3 bags. Everyday our Airline encounters 3-5 missing crewbags in JNB. :ugh::ugh:

My luggage was missing for one week and after i got it bk, everything was raided...even my toiletbag was taken apart.... Stuff got stolen out of my CREWBAG!!!!

Very inconvinient to spent 28 hours in JNB without anything other than uniform

JNB has a big issue with their employees....:ugh::ugh::ugh:

Let's see what the outcome is...

I wouldn't be surprised, if the drugs have been planted into their luggage..


Good luck to you guys and all the best to get you out of Jail soon.

In my airline we have a problem with crew baggage being broken into. The crew security seals do not appear to be a deterant. I've often wondered if in some cases there have been attempts to plant substances. When it has happened to my crew I get the individual to immediatly search the bag in front of witnesses. On one occasion a member of HMRC. (nothing was found)

My concern is that all 15 crew members were held so that must include the cockpit crew as there can only be about 12 in the back. I find it difficult to believe that the flight crew could have been involved
I worked at JNB for 30 years and the baggage pilferage problem, which reached epidemic proportions a year or so ago, is still prevalent. Outgoing bags as well as incoming are at risk. Planting the drugs with possibly one (cabin?)crew member involved is a possibility.

If this is the case where are the airline security people to watch over the crew baggage? As baggage is being tampered with where does this happen? in the hold? in transit to the customs area/crew baggage drop off point? or in the terminal?

If this is an ongoing problem as some have said, then airlines need to tighten their security up instead of wondering what liquids and gels are in the hand luggage.

If that was me I wouldn't have touched it and ask for Customs to inspect my case in front of other officials.

Even if it is true all 15 were arrested, it does not go on to say whether they were all detained in custody etc.

I suspect HMRC would arrest all to invoke certain powers / keep the crew separated / and gather enough evidence to decide who to detain and who to release etc. As above, it may well be that this was not a "chance" interception, but one customs team at the aircraft (?) and another intercepting the crew separately (e.g. on board / immigration). It could well take a bit of time to establish exactly who is who, whose bag is who's, particularly when it involves 3 bags so a "team" maybe working together...

NoD

Apparently crew have been released... no charges.

It's not impossible to have it planted - after the bags leave the crew hands - they still go through the loading process and pass through a few "hands" before the aircraft door is closed!

Quote:
"My concern is that all 15 crew members were held so that must include the cockpit crew as there can only be about 12 in the back. I find it difficult to believe that the flight crew could have been involved"

Referring to comment above: HUH!?!?! Why wouldn't the cockpit crew be involved - what makes them the goodies?? Seriously - could have been anyone!

Legacy

I think it's rather obvious why it's UNLIKELY cockpit crew.

Let's do a quick pshycometric test:

Q: Who is MORE LIKELY to smuggle drugs?

a) Well paid proffessionals (doctors, lawyers,accountants, pilots ect) or
b) Low paid unproffessional workers (shop assistant, receptionist, cabin crew ect)
c) None of the above

Take your time before answering.

Roadtrip, you are joking aren't you?

You have NO control over your bag, from the time it gets checked in, until the time it appears on the baggage belt (if your lucky!) at your destination!

All and sundry have access to it during that time!

BBC reports 'Crew released on bail till March'......

IF drugs were planted then there must be a 'receiver' in the UK. They are the ones that need catching!

Rgds
CL747