Irish jet impounded in Belgium carrying drugs
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Irish jet impounded in Belgium carrying drugs
TV news reports are stating that an executive jet owned by Jim Mansfield and operated by Kieron OÇonnor was impounded yesterday when the passengers were found boarding the aircraft with 50 kgs of cocaine. The crew and 3 passengers were arrested.
Interesting to see how they can blame the cockpit crew in a situation like this.
Mutt
Interesting to see how they can blame the cockpit crew in a situation like this.
Mutt
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Interesting that you assume they are not involved. Why do you assume thay are not involved ? Because they're aircrew ?
Good job that the Belgian police didn't share that opinion. They may well be innocent, but they may also be guilty. I am sure the due legal process will discover the truth.
Good job that the Belgian police didn't share that opinion. They may well be innocent, but they may also be guilty. I am sure the due legal process will discover the truth.
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Irish Led operation apparently, a bit more information on this website:
http://flyinginireland.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1974
seems the norrie gurriers have moved up from rexxies to lears...........
http://flyinginireland.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1974
seems the norrie gurriers have moved up from rexxies to lears...........
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Jet 'owned' by guy who leased Mansfield's was allegedly in maintenance at the time, hence the hiring of Mansfield's aircraft...
Mansfield has denied all knowledge and association of the operation.
Interesting that the 'smuggler' just walked on board with the heroin in his bags, not even hidden - just goes to show what people think of GA security in Europe.
He was caught not because of security procedures, but as the result of a long intelligence operation.
Begs the question - just how many flights like this have been done in the past?
Mansfield has denied all knowledge and association of the operation.
Interesting that the 'smuggler' just walked on board with the heroin in his bags, not even hidden - just goes to show what people think of GA security in Europe.
He was caught not because of security procedures, but as the result of a long intelligence operation.
Begs the question - just how many flights like this have been done in the past?
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Heroin
What do you make of this story? As reported in the Irish Times today:
....
"Three Irish men were among five people under arrest in Holland, Belgium and Ireland last night after an Irish-registered private jet was impounded in Belgium as it was about to leave for Ireland with heroin worth €10 million on board.
...
Garda sources in Dublin described the smuggling plan as "incredible" and "unprecedented". The drugs were destined for west Dublin dealers.
Detectives believe an Irish man involved in the leasing of planes at Weston airport, Leixlip, Co Kildare, had arranged for the plane to be used to transport the drugs.
The plane left Weston on Tuesday morning and flew to Wevelgem airport in southern Belgium. It was manned by two Irish pilots and was due to collect a passenger at Wevelgem and fly him back to Weston late on Tuesday.
However, as this man boarded the plane with his luggage the Belgian authorities moved in. A search revealed 50kgs of heroin, worth €10 million, packed into his cases.
The man, a 32-year-old from the Leeds-Bradford area, was arrested along with the two Irish pilots. The plane was also impounded. One of the pilots is a 38-year-old Dublin man who was caught in Britain in the late 1990s with a large quantity of cannabis.
....
In Ireland a 36-year-old Irish man was arrested on Tuesday evening at Weston where he works. He is a qualified pilot and has an address in Kilmessan, Co Meath.
Garda sources said he is closely associated with Irish drugs wholesalers. He is a former international boxer. He previously worked as a nightclub bouncer and is now a director of a plane hire company based at Weston which was using Jim Mansfield's plane at the time the drugs were found.
...
The National Flight Centre, which is based at Weston, released a statement last night confirming it operates the plane impounded in Belgium.
The statement said the crew is employed by the National Flight Centre, "which is owned by Captain Kieran O'Connor". The plane involved is a Cessna Citation VI executive jet owned by Mr Mansfield through Lonborough Aviation. Mr Mansfield also owns Weston airport.
It was being used on Tuesday by another plane-hire company because its own aircraft was unserviceable. The 36-year-old man arrested in Dublin is a director of this firm.
A spokesman said Mr Mansfield was "shocked" by the developments. He said Mr Mansfield was not aware his plane had been taken out of the country."
...
....
"Three Irish men were among five people under arrest in Holland, Belgium and Ireland last night after an Irish-registered private jet was impounded in Belgium as it was about to leave for Ireland with heroin worth €10 million on board.
...
Garda sources in Dublin described the smuggling plan as "incredible" and "unprecedented". The drugs were destined for west Dublin dealers.
Detectives believe an Irish man involved in the leasing of planes at Weston airport, Leixlip, Co Kildare, had arranged for the plane to be used to transport the drugs.
The plane left Weston on Tuesday morning and flew to Wevelgem airport in southern Belgium. It was manned by two Irish pilots and was due to collect a passenger at Wevelgem and fly him back to Weston late on Tuesday.
However, as this man boarded the plane with his luggage the Belgian authorities moved in. A search revealed 50kgs of heroin, worth €10 million, packed into his cases.
The man, a 32-year-old from the Leeds-Bradford area, was arrested along with the two Irish pilots. The plane was also impounded. One of the pilots is a 38-year-old Dublin man who was caught in Britain in the late 1990s with a large quantity of cannabis.
....
In Ireland a 36-year-old Irish man was arrested on Tuesday evening at Weston where he works. He is a qualified pilot and has an address in Kilmessan, Co Meath.
Garda sources said he is closely associated with Irish drugs wholesalers. He is a former international boxer. He previously worked as a nightclub bouncer and is now a director of a plane hire company based at Weston which was using Jim Mansfield's plane at the time the drugs were found.
...
The National Flight Centre, which is based at Weston, released a statement last night confirming it operates the plane impounded in Belgium.
The statement said the crew is employed by the National Flight Centre, "which is owned by Captain Kieran O'Connor". The plane involved is a Cessna Citation VI executive jet owned by Mr Mansfield through Lonborough Aviation. Mr Mansfield also owns Weston airport.
It was being used on Tuesday by another plane-hire company because its own aircraft was unserviceable. The 36-year-old man arrested in Dublin is a director of this firm.
A spokesman said Mr Mansfield was "shocked" by the developments. He said Mr Mansfield was not aware his plane had been taken out of the country."
...
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Interesting that you assume they are not involved
Mutt
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I wonder how many pilots have been caught / arrested / imprisoned over the years for smuggling drugs. I know of 3 cases off the top of my head. It wasn't that long ago that an F/O was caught "chasing the dragon" in the rear galley.
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How many airline pilots have been arrested because their passengers were smuggling drugs or whatnot ?
How many taxidrivers have been arrested because their clients have possesed drugs?
I never looked into the bags of my clients - as a potential terrorist (I´m searched EVERYTIME I pass security) I might not be the correct person to do that job.
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Quote:
Interesting that you assume they are not involved. Why do you assume thay are not involved ? Because they're aircrew ?
Good job that the Belgian police didn't share that opinion. They may well be innocent, but they may also be guilty. I am sure the due legal process will discover the truth.
---
They MAY be guilty, but as far as one can tell from the news they just did what a lot of us do every day: get to the airport, ready your aircraft and fly WHATEVER your boss tells you to fly - may it be Irishmen or, e.g. Russians - most of us don´t care who is riding in the back.
And BTW: Belgian police ? Does Marc Dutroux ring a bell ? - gosh.....
How many taxidrivers have been arrested because their clients have possesed drugs?
I never looked into the bags of my clients - as a potential terrorist (I´m searched EVERYTIME I pass security) I might not be the correct person to do that job.
---
Quote:
Interesting that you assume they are not involved. Why do you assume thay are not involved ? Because they're aircrew ?
Good job that the Belgian police didn't share that opinion. They may well be innocent, but they may also be guilty. I am sure the due legal process will discover the truth.
---
They MAY be guilty, but as far as one can tell from the news they just did what a lot of us do every day: get to the airport, ready your aircraft and fly WHATEVER your boss tells you to fly - may it be Irishmen or, e.g. Russians - most of us don´t care who is riding in the back.
And BTW: Belgian police ? Does Marc Dutroux ring a bell ? - gosh.....
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A guy from our airline was arrested this year for allegedly smuggling drugs within Europe on a rather commercial scale. (He allegedly did not use company aircraft but motor vehicles and a GA aircraft.)
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that could have been me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
that could have been me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
is there anyone else outy there that can say that. arrested cause your told to go pick a guy up. i feel for those guys.i really do and anyone else involved in coorporate flying must do too?
is there anyone else outy there that can say that. arrested cause your told to go pick a guy up. i feel for those guys.i really do and anyone else involved in coorporate flying must do too?
Quoting the Irish Times...
One of the pilots is a 38-year-old Dublin man who was caught in Britain in the late 1990s with a large quantity of cannabis.
....
In Ireland a 36-year-old Irish man was arrested on Tuesday evening at Weston where he works. He is a qualified pilot and has an address in Kilmessan, Co Meath.
Garda sources said he is closely associated with Irish drugs wholesalers. He is a former international boxer. He previously worked as a nightclub bouncer and is now a director of a plane hire company based at Weston which was using Jim Mansfield's plane at the time the drugs were found.
...
One of the pilots is a 38-year-old Dublin man who was caught in Britain in the late 1990s with a large quantity of cannabis.
....
In Ireland a 36-year-old Irish man was arrested on Tuesday evening at Weston where he works. He is a qualified pilot and has an address in Kilmessan, Co Meath.
Garda sources said he is closely associated with Irish drugs wholesalers. He is a former international boxer. He previously worked as a nightclub bouncer and is now a director of a plane hire company based at Weston which was using Jim Mansfield's plane at the time the drugs were found.
...
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I landed there (EBKT) just after it all happened. The fuel guy was telling us that they had all been handcuffed and BLINDFOLDED! before being carted off. Scary stuff. Who knows what your pax are carrying. 
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My we are jumping to a few conclusions here. If guilty of smuggling drugs, then the pilots deserve what's coming to them but let's for a moment take on board the fact that newspapers are there to sell, and carry stories accordingly.
How large is large? Was it his? Was he prosecuted/convicted? (If so, how did he get a licence/medical?)
I seem to remember the captain of the Air Transit A330 that made a dead-stick night landing into the Azores had previously been associated with drug smuggling from South America. He paid for it and learnt his lesson and became a hero.
We are in a different game to the airlines. We have less security and more contact with the passengers so there will always be more risk of "guilt by association" if a customer is a naughty boy/girl. Support your profession rather than assist in tarnishing it unless you have very good reason to do otherwise.
Grab some facts rather than ASSUME - we all know what that makes of ...-U- and -ME-......
Cheers,
Chips
One of the pilots is a 38-year-old Dublin man who was caught in Britain in the late 1990s with a large quantity of cannabis.
I seem to remember the captain of the Air Transit A330 that made a dead-stick night landing into the Azores had previously been associated with drug smuggling from South America. He paid for it and learnt his lesson and became a hero.
We are in a different game to the airlines. We have less security and more contact with the passengers so there will always be more risk of "guilt by association" if a customer is a naughty boy/girl. Support your profession rather than assist in tarnishing it unless you have very good reason to do otherwise.
Grab some facts rather than ASSUME - we all know what that makes of ...-U- and -ME-......
Cheers,
Chips
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Lets face it tho, how many times at DUB do you see an exec jet land, met by a limo or a bus, pax get in and there is only the minimum of checks at the gates before they zoom off.
Wouldnt surprise me if this hasnt beeen going on for years.
Wouldnt surprise me if this hasnt beeen going on for years.
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http://www.vcrisis.com/index.php?con...s/200604191121
800 kgs out of the 2000kgs carried by the 727 were recovered.
Here only in french, sorry :
http://www.geopolitique.com/ce-dossi...paris-019.html
800 kgs out of the 2000kgs carried by the 727 were recovered.
Here only in french, sorry :
http://www.geopolitique.com/ce-dossi...paris-019.html
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Excellent EI-CGO! 
Exactly what I was saying
Thanks for slinging some mud that's bound to stick somewhere despite the fact that you present no evidence what-so-ever. If you do have evidence, take it to the authorities. Shame you don't value your(?) and my profession more highly.
Chips
Exactly what I was saying Thanks for slinging some mud that's bound to stick somewhere despite the fact that you present no evidence what-so-ever. If you do have evidence, take it to the authorities. Shame you don't value your(?) and my profession more highly.
Chips
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or maybe he should close his eyes and pretent it doesn't happen ?
It does happen, and if the industry cannot police itself, then expect things to get worse. Admitting that there is a problem in the 1st place is a start.
Why is Chirpy so defensive ? - Thou protesteth too much
It does happen, and if the industry cannot police itself, then expect things to get worse. Admitting that there is a problem in the 1st place is a start.
Why is Chirpy so defensive ? - Thou protesteth too much