Why PIA Plane was searched, crew detained at Heathrow Airport

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2017-05-16T17:28:56+05:00 News Desk

LONDON: Pakistan International Airlines has brought another bad name for the country with the seizure of the Narcotics from a PIA plane at Heathrow airport.

Heroin was seized from Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) PK-785, National Crime Agency (NCA) confirmed to Geo News on Tuesday.

“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 Monday 15 May. 

No arrests have been made, enquiries are ongoing.

Earlier, 13 crew members of PIA PK-785 which had arrived from Islamabad were detained at the Heathrow Airport. The crew members were kept in detention for five hours and according to UK Border Agency (UKBA) sources, information had been received from Pakistan that there were narcotics on board the flight. 

According to the information, there was a suspicion that the crew might be involved and the narcotics were hidden in different panels and areas of the plane.

The crew was released at 2 AM (GMT) after being questioned but their passports are still held by the UKBA which states that further questioning might take place.

The PIA crew said that the customs authorities carried out a thorough search going through each and every thing, adding they have no clue as to why such treatment was meted out to them.

The crew said the authorities also questioned them. The crew members were also asked what part of the plane were they assigned to.

There was a total of 16 crew member on the plane.

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