26 Pounds of Cocaine Found on AA Aircraft in Tulsa
Joe Cortez December 03, 2015
American Airlines and Drug Enforcement Administration officials seeking suspects in attempted cocaine smuggling at Tulsa.
American Airlines and federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) authorities are working together to determine who placed over 26 pounds of cocaine aboard a commercial aircraft at Tulsa International Airport (TUL). Reuters reports the drugs were discovered during routine maintenance of the American-owned Boeing 757.
The aircraft was scheduled for regular service at TUL when two of the suspicious parcels were discovered by maintenance workers. Employees with the airline called the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Department to report the situation, who then turned the case over to the DEA.
“Narcotics were discovered on a Boeing 757 during routine maintenance at the Tulsa Maintenance and Engineering Base,” an American spokesperson confirmed to Tulsa NBC affiliate KJRH-TV. “Our Corporate Security team is working directly with law enforcement during their investigation.”
Tulsa Fox affiliate KOKI-TV reported a total of 10 parcels were ultimately discovered in the avionics bay of the Boeing 757, with a total weight of over 22 pounds. No suspects have been identified in the case and no arrests have been made as of Wednesday, December 2. The aircraft was delivered directly to the maintenance base and flyers were never exposed to the drugs aboard the aircraft.
The incident marks the second time in one week cocaine has been discovered trying to fly aboard a commercial flight, as well as the fifth time cocaine has been actively discovered aboard a commercial aircraft in the United States this year. Previously, a pilot from the United States was detained by Peruvian authorities with cocaine in his possession, which he claimed did not belong to him. In October, Customs and Border Protection officials made multiple arrests in two days for cocaine smuggling through John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York.
[Photo: AP]
They found some at RDU also. http://www.wral.com/woman-arrested-at-rdu-on-coke-trafficking-charge/15160400/
Whoever last serviced that part of the plane (in any airport) has some explaining to do. With all of the careful records airlines keep on such things, this shouldn't be a long investigation, should it?
If they are trying to figure out who put it there, how do they know it was put there in Tulsa? could have been any number of places the aircraft went.