SAA Crew Arrested Over Drugs Bust

The UK Border Agency confirmed this week the entire crew of a South African Airways flight that arrived at Heathrow were under arrest in connection with smuggling a £310,000 haul of cocaine into the UK.

“When the crew were passing through a customs clearance point… the UKBA officers found a quantity of cannabis in three suitcases,” spokesman for the UK Border Agency Bob Gaiger told journalists.

In all, 50 kilos of cannabis (said to be worth £150,000) and four kilos of cocaine (said to be worth £160,000) were discovered in the luggage. Despite the arrests none of the crew were charged and were bailed yesterday.

In Johannesburg today a flight attendant for SAA was arrested in connection with the haul, according to police. This follows the arrest of a security officer yesterday under suspicion for allowing the suitcases through customs at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport.

Criminal Investigation Assistant Director for the HMRC, Malcolm Bragg said that the HMRC working with the UKBA “are working diligently to stop drugs entering the UK, we aim to protect society from this activity wherever we detect it”.

“Smugglers are criminals who are only out to make a profit. They do not care about the harm that they cause by smuggling whether its drugs, dangerous counterfeit cigarettes or illegal immigrants,” said Carole Upshall, Regional Director South of UKBA.

The SAA haul is comparatively small when compared with the £4.5 million of heroin a 30-year-old man tried to smuggle into the UK in his car in September last year. Another massive haul estimated to be worth £6.3 million was discovered hidden coffee machines a Polish man was bringing into the country.

Tony Walker, of the UKBA, said that working with other law enforcement agencies was a “modern and collaborative approach to border control”.

“We will continue to work with other law enforcement agencies to tackle smugglers who attempt to bring illegal goods into the UK.”

Anyone with information about any activity they believe may be linked to drugs smuggling should call the 24-hour customs hotline – 0800 59 5000.

By heather saunders posted January 22, 2009 11:36 AM with 606 views