Another Miami Drug Bust

Sidebar
W

WingNaPrayer

Veteran
Aug 20, 2002
1,742
0
EYW
Visit site
CONTACT: Martha Pantin
Corporate Communications
Miami
(305) 520-3197
or
Al Becker
Corporate Communications
Headquarters
(817) 967-1577


AMERICAN AIRLINES STATEMENT ON ARRESTS IN MIAMI


MIAMI -- American Airlines made the following statement regarding arrests by federal officials at Miami International Airport today:

“American Airlines is firmly committed to the fight against drug smuggling and assisted in the investigation that led to today’s arrests. The arrests involve a very small number of American employees. The vast majority of American’s people in Miami and elsewhere have demonstrated over the years their complete commitment to the Company’s anti-drug program. It is one of the most elaborate anti-drug initiatives in the airline industry and has been highly successful in working with law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and other countries to deter the illegal trafficking of drugs. American deeply regrets that the actions of a few employees has blemished this otherwise outstanding record of accomplishment by thousands of dedicated and highly professional American Airlines men and women.â€￾

*****************

YAWN!
 
From the Miami Herald:

13 arrested, 3 more sought in airport drug-smuggling operation

BY HERALD STAFF


Federal agents fanned out across Miami-Dade early Monday with arrest warrants for 16 current and former airport and airline employees accused of taking part in a drug smuggling operation out of Miami International Airport.

Few details were released as suspects were rounded up and taken in handcuffs to jail. Among the 13 nabbed by midday Monday -- some of them at work -- were American Airlines ramp workers.

Those arrested are accused of being part of a ring that smuggled drugs from South and Latin America to South Florida, via flights arriving at MIA.

Dubbed Operation Return Flight, the arrests are a culmination of a four-year investigation, said Special Agent Joe Kilmer, spokesman for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Those arrested are scheduled to face a magistrate judge at a 1:30 p.m. hearing in downtown Miami.

*** Edited to correct the Herald's bad spelling!
 
From the AP:

Miami airport workers indicted in drug investigation

Associated Press
Posted February 23 2004, 12:36 PM EST

MIAMI -- Fourteen workers at Miami International Airport were indicted in a drug smuggling case, U.S. officials said Monday.

Most of the current or former airport workers had been arrested on drug conspiracy charges by Monday after a four-year international investigation dubbed ``Operation Return Flight,'' Drug Enforcement Administration spokesman Joe Kilmer said.

He did not know what drugs the workers allegedly smuggled or other details, but said more information would be released at an afternoon news conference by the DEA and U.S. Attorney's Office.

He said the sting was similar to ``Operation Ramp Rats,'' an investigation that led to the arrests of 58 airport workers in 1999.

In the those busts, federal law enforcement agents caught mostly workers of American Airlines and catering company Sky Chef exploiting their access to try to smuggle drugs.

The investigation featured undercover agents using fake cocaine to catch those arrested. The smugglers hid bogus cocaine in food carts, garbage bags and carry-on luggage, dozens of workers gained easy access to secure areas by flashing their ID badges.

Most of the workers pleaded guilty or were convicted.
 
Hummmm, 4 year investigation?

During the 1999 deal the Feds admitted they got laughed at by some of the crews since even the they didn't have enough money to bribe the biggest smugglers. Back then, they just nailed a bunch of copycats.

Maybe they took their time and nabbed some biggies this time.

Welcome to the MIA ramp. A time machine back to the 16th century.
 
What I am curious about is, during this "four year investigation" how much crap did the feds, and AA, sit back and watch filter from the MIA Ramps to the streets? How many people got hooked or even died during this "four year investigation"? If AA "knew about it" then they also knew they had several drug smugglers on their payroll.

This is the type of press that AA doesn't need, but at least now passengers know that the price they pay for a ticket goes to providing jobs to drug smugglers who just may hook one of their kids some day, and that they knew their aircraft was being used to smuggle illegal contraband into the U.S. . . . .for FOUR YEARS!

AA should have told the feds to schmegg off and fired the known smugglers immediately and then made their own press release about how they got tired of watching the feds support the filtration of drugs into the U.S. from it's aircraft and MIA ramps and fired the bastards and handed them over to the authorities themselves!

Unless of course, the Feds forced AA to keep the vermin on the payroll which I am betting that they did.
 
I guess the guys/gals in MIA needed to make a little extra cash. With the HUGE paycuts we all took, this was a way for them to make up the difference in pay. LOL! :lol:
 
LiveInAHotel said:
I guess the guys/gals in MIA needed to make a little extra cash. With the HUGE paycuts we all took, this was a way for them to make up the difference in pay. LOL! :lol:
Click to expand...
Of ocurse you are joking, but the drug smugglers I have known are not just trying to compensate for our wage cuts. They are greedy opportunists (as well as being lousy employees) and were doing this before the concessions.

They are despicable people in so many ways, and deserve no sympathy, even in jest.
 
WingNaPrayer said:
What I am curious about is, during this "four year investigation" how much crap did the feds, and AA, sit back and watch filter from the MIA Ramps to the streets? How many people got hooked or even died during this "four year investigation"? If AA "knew about it" then they also knew they had several drug smugglers on their payroll.

This is the type of press that AA doesn't need, but at least now passengers know that the price they pay for a ticket goes to providing jobs to drug smugglers who just may hook one of their kids some day, and that they knew their aircraft was being used to smuggle illegal contraband into the U.S. . . . .for FOUR YEARS!

AA should have told the feds to schmegg off and fired the known smugglers immediately and then made their own press release about how they got tired of watching the feds support the filtration of drugs into the U.S. from it's aircraft and MIA ramps and fired the bastards and handed them over to the authorities themselves!

Unless of course, the Feds forced AA to keep the vermin on the payroll which I am betting that they did.
Click to expand...
All I know about crime is what I see on NYPD blue and the like. If any of it is true I would think that they Feds were looking for the bigger fish. Like the suppliers maybe?
 
LiveInAHotel said:
I thought you were Mr. Law? This just proved my point. You can't prove a thing and you rely on TV shows for legal advice. LOL! :lol:
Click to expand...
Yep, Miami Vice is my main source of information.

Hey MJK, got any more kool aid. I'm a little parched.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

C
Airline Workers In Drug Ring!
Replies
12
Views
3K
American Airlines
Boomer
B
F
Miami and the new terminal
Replies
3
Views
1K
American Airlines
DFWCC
D
W
AMR Begins Cuts - Management Cut Another 5%
Replies
2
Views
938
American Airlines
AOA
A
W
Aircraft Orders
Replies
39
Views
7K
American Airlines
CubsFanJohn
C
F
AA 777 experienced throttle problems on 2/28
Replies
7
Views
3K
American Airlines
ual777fan
U

Latest posts

Top Bottom