PK785 crew stopped by Customs at London Heathrow

[saadm80]

This is becoming a Regular Occurrence, A Big Embarrassment for PIA! By the looks in the picture seems like Someone from the Technical Department is surely involved & surely there would be someone at LHR as well. This needs to be Thoroughly Investigated.

[Abbas Ali]

Some more photos of PIA Boeing 777-200ER (AP-BGK) flight PK-785 from Islamabad searched by British authorities at London-Heathrow Airport on May 15.











National Crime Agency statement shown on Express News channel:

"National Crime Agency officers are investigating following the seizure of a quantity of heroin, found by Border Force officers on board a flight from Pakistan at Heathrow on 15 May. No arrests have been made, enquiries are ongoing."



Finger prints of PK-785 crew members were also taken by the British authorities, according to news sources.

Abbas

[Abbas Ali]

According to statement of flight PK-785 pilot Capt. Hamid Gardezi:


A certificate was issued from Pakistan declaring that there are no narcotics aboard the aircraft.


The certificate was signed by authorised persons.

According to PIA Spokesperson Mashood Tajwar:


The aircraft gets searched by Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), Airports Security Force (ASF) and Customs.


Preventing narcotics' smuggling is the job of ANF and ASF.


Final clearance to the aircraft is given by authorities not PIA.

Abbas

[Abbas Ali]

Doesn't PIA also have its own security and vigilance team to prevent occurrence of such incidents?

Abbas

[Abbas Ali]

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Aviation Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan Abbasi has asked PIA management to submit incident report today.

Abbas

[baberblues]

Drugs being transported on PK aircraft is becoming a big problem. The fact that these packages are well concealed within the aircraft really compromises safety.

[cashy]

Not only air crafts it question of airport/airfield security also. In lavatories of PIA aircrafts can see large remnants of security stickers presenting ugly picture.

[TAILWIND]

What is the end result, were narcotics recovered from the aircraft or not?

[Abbas Ali]

According to latest reports:

PIA London Station Manager has written to British authorities seeking written information about quantity of heroin recovered from the aircraft and location(s) in the aircraft from where heroin was recovered.

Passports of cabin crew also have been received and they will be perform duty on airline's flight PK-788 from London to Karachi today.

Abbas

[raihans]

some people wants 'din dugni raat chugni' type of income, dreaming about becoming millionaire billionaire over night, for them the SOURCE doesn't matter either HALAL or HARAM, perhaps such earnings can only be declared HARAM

very very embarrassing situation for Pakistan and Pakistani nationals whenever such news float

[Abbas Ali]

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Aviation Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan Abbasi told a media conference today:

* The PIA incident has damaged Pakistan's repute.

* Anyone found involved will not be spared.

* So far British authorities have not given details.

* Joint investigation by Pakistani and British authorities being considered.

* Passports of cabin crew are still with British authorities.

* PK-785 crew members will be questioned by Pakistani authorities also.

Abbas

[Abbas Ali]

Narcotics were concealed in ceiling of Boeing 777 passenger cabin, according to news sources.

Abbas

[raihans]

Narcotics were concealed in ceiling of Boeing 777 passenger cabin, according to news sources.

Abbas

possible with involvement of technicians as such places are not easy to open without proper tools, right?

[Ammar]

Could this have been done while the aircraft was at maintenance or is it possible to open the roof and smuggle the narcotics, then close the roof and clean the aircraft during the short turnaround time they are given.

If it was done during the turnaround, would that would mean ground cleaning staff, cabin crew, technicians/engineers and perhaps cockpit crew were involved?

[Abbas Ali]

Pakistan Customs investigation feels:


Narcotics were concealed in passenger cabin ceiling.


Probably narcotics were concealed in the aircraft at Karachi Airport.


On May 8, the Boeing 777 was on the ground with PIA Engineering & Maintenance department for around twenty hours at Karachi Airport.

Here's list of flights performed by PIA Boeing 777-240ER registration AP-BGK between May 5 and May 15 - the day on which it performed flight PK-785 from Islamabad to London-Heathrow.

Source: radarbox24.com

Abbas