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Thread: SAA preferred carrier to the international drug trade?

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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    SAA preferred carrier to the international drug trade?

    I cannot believe it!
    Fifteen members of a South African Airlines flight crew were arrested at Heathrow airport on Monday after cocaine worth R3,6-million (£250 000) was discovered in a bag on an overnight flight from Johannesburg.

    The crew were still being questioned late on Monday night by officers from HM Revenue & Customs who were investigating links to arrests in January, when 15 crew from the same airline were questioned after R4,4-million (£310 000) worth of dagga and cocaine were found in three bags on the same route.
    full story from M&G here
    You'd have thought security measures would have tightened up after the last one.

    SAA used to be the preferred carrier for healthy stuff like our sports teams. I guess they're down to drug smugglers, government officials and politicians nowadays.

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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    I don't know whether to laugh or cry:
    International drug smugglers have targeted SA Airways as a means to move their products into Europe, SAA acting CEO Chris Smyth said on Wednesday.

    Briefing the National Assembly's public enterprises committee, he said the "drug smuggling plague" SAA was currently experiencing was a movement of drugs in a supply chain from the growing areas of South-east Asia and South America into Africa, where Africa was used as a hub or transit point into Europe.

    "And the point in Africa moves," he said.

    It's now SAA's turn. And I say that because if you look in context, SAA has not had a drug problem since the four or five episodes... in 2005 and 2006.

    "At the time increased security chased that problem away and we will do that again this time," he said.
    full story from IOL here
    So I guess I won't be sued for my tongue-in-cheek comment then. Preferred carrier status confirmed!

    But what the heck happened to the security measures that "chased the problem away" in 2006?

    And twice is a charm for government to jump in.
    Cabinet has mandated Safety and Security Minister Nathi Mthethwa to ensure effective steps are taken to prevent SA Airways personnel smuggling drugs on international flights, government spokesman Themba Maseko said on Wednesday.

    Briefing the media after Cabinet's regular fortnightly meeting at Tuynhuys, he said Cabinet was concerned about the untold and incalculable damage such incidents did to SAA, the country and its citizens.
    full story from IOL here
    Maybe they didn't notice the first one

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    Gold Member twinscythe12332's Avatar
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    I highly doubt it stops at the crew members of the plane. probably find their are security personnel being paid off to avert their eyes, and baggage "checkers" placing in certain bags. all that needs to be done is an interception, and hey, 4mil in drugs has hit european streets.

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