Drug Trafficking at Gatwick: Air Mauritius Among Monitored Airlines

In a shocking revelation, the magazine Global Aviator has reported that so-called “ghost suitcases”—luggage devoid of passengers or recipients—have allegedly been transported to Mauritius via Air Mauritius. This alarming development comes as the National Crime Agency (NCA), the UK’s premier crime-fighting body, has launched an extensive international investigation into a suspected drug trafficking and money laundering network operating from London Gatwick Airport.

The alert was triggered by the startling discovery of over £100,000 worth of cocaine concealed within the lavatory of a British Airways aircraft undergoing maintenance.

The illicit substance was unearthed by an engineer during a routine inspection, hidden behind a panel in a location that required intimate knowledge of the aircraft’s structure.

According to the NCA, this sophisticated concealment suggests the involvement of individuals with privileged access to the planes and their sensitive areas.

As the investigation unfolds, it has expanded significantly. NCA agents have begun gathering testimonies from several Gatwick employees, some of whom are providing information under the cloak of anonymity.

Airport staff, including cleaners and baggage handlers, are currently under discreet surveillance, while surveillance footage spanning several weeks has been seized for analysis.

In light of these developments, multiple airlines have been placed on an “interest list.”

Among them are British Airways and Emirates Airlines, both suspected of being unwitting conduits for the entry of narcotics, diamonds, and cash into the UK, following a similar modus operandi.

Air Mauritius has also been implicated in the inquiry. Global Aviator cites a source within the NCA, claiming that ghost suitcases have been sent to the Indian Ocean island, potentially linked to a drug trafficking network amid Mauritius’s acute drug crisis.

In response to these serious allegations, Joël Toussaint, Air Mauritius’s communications officer, spoke to Le Défi Quotidien, stating, “While Global Aviator has referenced a document seemingly from the NCA, it is standard for drug enforcement agencies to conduct regular assessments.

All airlines may face attempts at exploitation by criminal networks.

Air Mauritius is mentioned, but not specifically implicated or directly accused, much like Emirates or British Airways.

Customs and security services are responsible for baggage control. It is possible that some parcels slip through the net, but this does not fall under Air Mauritius’s responsibility.

Once the passenger disembarks, our duty concludes.”

Toussaint further emphasised that the airline has taken proactive measures: “We conduct training to enhance our staff’s vigilance. In certain instances, our team has even thwarted attempts to smuggle illicit packages on board.”

As this investigation continues to unfold, the implications for the airline industry and the broader fight against drug trafficking remain profound and troubling.

Source: Defi Media