PIA Staff arrested in London over smuggling & money laundering
United Kingdom’s customs authority have detained five PIA crew over smuggling and money laundering on Monday 8 June 2015m as reported by Dawn News. According to the news source PIA’s flight PK-788 from London to Karachi was delayed when London airport authorities searched the crew’s luggage for almost two hours, after which seven crew members were taken into custody. Insured Mobile phones and Large sums of money were recovered in the search. Two crew members were later released.
This is not the first time PIA’s crew has been alleged with sumggling. PIA’s crew on numerous occasions has faced probes from domestic as well as international authorities for violating regulatory procedures.
Almost a month ago, Shaukat Ali Cheema, 59, A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) steward, was arrested at Birmingham airport, after 26 passports and 37 passport bio-data pages were discovered in his underwear.
Almost 2 months ago, the Heathrow airport has issued a “yellow card” (or warning) to the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) for allegedly violating laws of the United Kingdom. This action was taken as PIA’s crew are allegedly involved in carrying restricted items or goods in excess of their (duty-free) personal allowances.
