Southend 707 drug bust
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Southend 707 drug bust
Cargo plane dumps 500kg of cocaine
LONDON (Reuters) - Customs officers have seized 32 million pounds of cocaine - their biggest haul ever -- after suitcases containing 500kg of the drug were dumped out of the back of a cargo plane in Essex.
Customs officers waiting at Southend Airport swooped on the Boeing 707 plane and its abandoned cargo on Tuesday night, seizing the drugs and arresting six people.
"As the plane landed, the cargo door opened and six huge suitcases were pushed out the back onto the end of the taxi way," he said.
"Officers moved in immediately. They recovered the cocaine and arrested six people. It has since been confirmed that this is Britain's largest ever seizure of cocaine."
The spokesman would not say if Customs were acting on a tip-off or release any other operational details other than to say the aircraft had come from the Caribbean via the Canary Islands and landed about 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday
He said the suitcases were so big that it took three officers to lift each one.
Five crew members and one other person, believed to be an airport worker, were arrested. There were no details available on their nationality.
They were taken to a London police station for questioning in the morning, he said.
LONDON (Reuters) - Customs officers have seized 32 million pounds of cocaine - their biggest haul ever -- after suitcases containing 500kg of the drug were dumped out of the back of a cargo plane in Essex.
Customs officers waiting at Southend Airport swooped on the Boeing 707 plane and its abandoned cargo on Tuesday night, seizing the drugs and arresting six people.
"As the plane landed, the cargo door opened and six huge suitcases were pushed out the back onto the end of the taxi way," he said.
"Officers moved in immediately. They recovered the cocaine and arrested six people. It has since been confirmed that this is Britain's largest ever seizure of cocaine."
The spokesman would not say if Customs were acting on a tip-off or release any other operational details other than to say the aircraft had come from the Caribbean via the Canary Islands and landed about 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday
He said the suitcases were so big that it took three officers to lift each one.
Five crew members and one other person, believed to be an airport worker, were arrested. There were no details available on their nationality.
They were taken to a London police station for questioning in the morning, he said.
Join Date: May 2001
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I have seen a lot of drug importation cases over the years, and the street value calculated by Customs has steadily dropped. At one time cocaine was estimated at £100k per kilo, now it seems to be around £60k. This seizure is huge, but there is also a lot coming in carried by 'swallowers'. When City and media types snort coke up their noses, they may not realise that the stuff has spent a few days passing through the digestion of a Third World courier!
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Where's Koda based ... not one of those iffy Nigerian operators, by any chance? And as for the crew - CB-J wouldn't be amongst them? 
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Update: I have just been informed that, surprise surprise, Chris Barratt-Jolley was the captain of the aircraft. 
The skies will now be a safer place as he's unlikely to be taking to them again for a very long time - and I can think of several CAA Ops Inspectors that will be raising a glass or two to HM Customs & Excise!
Koda Air is Equatorial Guinea (3C) registered.
Also nicked, I hear, were F/O Pete 'Bananaman' Carine, F/E Martin Lake and L/M David Ogundipe.
[ 18 October 2001: Message edited by: The Guvnor ]
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Update: I have just been informed that, surprise surprise, Chris Barratt-Jolley was the captain of the aircraft.
The skies will now be a safer place as he's unlikely to be taking to them again for a very long time - and I can think of several CAA Ops Inspectors that will be raising a glass or two to HM Customs & Excise!Koda Air is Equatorial Guinea (3C) registered.
Also nicked, I hear, were F/O Pete 'Bananaman' Carine, F/E Martin Lake and L/M David Ogundipe.
[ 18 October 2001: Message edited by: The Guvnor ]
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Guvnor,
The Prime Directive of PPRuNe moderators is keeping the gentlemen who own this site out of jail. Hence, I have removed the names you posted above because I am not certain they are public domain yet, and as such lay the owners open to action.
A copy of the original, with the names has been posted in the administration forum.
This post is essentially history now, following the release of the names into the public domain. However, I would ask anyone wishing to comment on this thread that they read Capt PPRuNe's post on page 3 regarding the sub-judice nature of the case, and bear in mind any possible implications. Thanks. £6 19/11/01
[ 19 October 2001: Message edited by: Sick Squid ]
The Prime Directive of PPRuNe moderators is keeping the gentlemen who own this site out of jail. Hence, I have removed the names you posted above because I am not certain they are public domain yet, and as such lay the owners open to action.
A copy of the original, with the names has been posted in the administration forum.
This post is essentially history now, following the release of the names into the public domain. However, I would ask anyone wishing to comment on this thread that they read Capt PPRuNe's post on page 3 regarding the sub-judice nature of the case, and bear in mind any possible implications. Thanks. £6 19/11/01
[ 19 October 2001: Message edited by: Sick Squid ]
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Unless C & E have changed their practices at SEN, it must have been a tip-off if the A/C was landing outside office hours. I met a 707 there over an Easter weekend a couple of years back, and there was no Customs presence because they didn't get overtime! I was collecting a consignment of spares from the hold, and could have driven airside, collected the stuff and left without a word being said! Needless to say, my honest nature precluded such actions and I had it all put in the bonded store until the Tuesday when it could be checked.
Mind you, if it had been coke instead of a bunch of 707 bits it might have been different.....
Mind you, if it had been coke instead of a bunch of 707 bits it might have been different.....
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Well the apparent names of the arrested wont surprise anybody in the cargo side of the industry. Not the first time they've made the papers...let's hope this time they are dealt with!
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I've heard that is was *** ******** and not *** ********* that was involved, although it could also be *** ****************.
But who can tell.
[ 17 October 2001: Message edited by: Techman ]
But who can tell.
[ 17 October 2001: Message edited by: Techman ]
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So.. I heard a rumour that they were looking for two or more crew at SEN, but they've got them now
Now it looks as though there's a couple of positions to be filled at Koda.
Anyone out there with a 707 type rating?
Now it looks as though there's a couple of positions to be filled at Koda.
Anyone out there with a 707 type rating?
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I saw The Guvnor's original post, and the name he mentioned jingled a dim and distant bell. Did Captain X fly for BIA in the early 1970s, when they still had DC3s?
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nopaxthanx
I hear what you're saying about the security at SEN.
Not so long ago I had to go and meet an unusual aircraft, which was a regular visitor to SEN, to retrieve some borrowed Jepps. It was the middle of summer, I'd never been to SEN before and the aircraft was due in at 0400hrs. I eventually found the airport, drove in what I thought was an entrance gate and found myself in amongst the aircraft, not a soul to be seen. I parked the van and, with passes ready, sat on the bonnet to enjoy the wonderful weather.
It was about an hour and a half before the aircraft arrived, I collected the Jepps and offered the crew a lift to the hotel and promptly drove out of the gate only to be told by the crew that it was the security gate.
On further investigation, the security guard was fast asleep in the portacabin, door locked, windows closed and ear defenders on!!!
We never did manage to wake him up!!
[ 17 October 2001: Message edited by: Top Loadie ]
I hear what you're saying about the security at SEN.
Not so long ago I had to go and meet an unusual aircraft, which was a regular visitor to SEN, to retrieve some borrowed Jepps. It was the middle of summer, I'd never been to SEN before and the aircraft was due in at 0400hrs. I eventually found the airport, drove in what I thought was an entrance gate and found myself in amongst the aircraft, not a soul to be seen. I parked the van and, with passes ready, sat on the bonnet to enjoy the wonderful weather.
It was about an hour and a half before the aircraft arrived, I collected the Jepps and offered the crew a lift to the hotel and promptly drove out of the gate only to be told by the crew that it was the security gate.
On further investigation, the security guard was fast asleep in the portacabin, door locked, windows closed and ear defenders on!!!
We never did manage to wake him up!!
[ 17 October 2001: Message edited by: Top Loadie ]