Cocaine valued at $131,000 (£100,000) has been discovered inside the lavatory of a British Airways operated jet, marking the second incident involving the Class A drug in a matter of days.
Service Engineer Makes a Major Discovery
On April 10, a stash of the Class A drug was found concealed in an aircraft lavatory.
The drug was discovered by a service engineer at London Gatwick Airport, as the aircraft was stationed in a hangar for routine maintenance.
The Boeing 777-200ER aircraft had arrived at London Gatwick Airport after operating a flight to Orlando International Airport, Florida (MCO).
An aircraft engineer discovered the drug behind a panel within the plane lavatory and alerted the police, and the stash was later valued at approximately £100,000. The incident is now being investigated by UK officials from the Border Force and the National Crime Agency.
A Series of Drug-Related Incidents
The discovery marks the second drug-related incident on a British Airways-operated flight within a matter of days.
On April 8, just days prior to the discovery at Gatwick, British Airways Flight 2202 was delayed for over 24 hours, as the aircraft was searched for drugs by Mexican authorities.
The Boeing 777 was held at Cancun International Airport (CUN) as authorities raided the aircraft for suspected cocaine hidden within luggage.
The authorities removed multiple packages from the aircraft, and the commercial flight was subsequently cancelled to allow for further investigation.
The consecutive discoveries have sparked concerns regarding aviation security. The successive searches raise questions about the link between drug discoveries and transatlantic routes, particularly the screening protocols at both departure and arrival airports.
Although most UK travellers are happy with their security experience, inside operations involving airport and aircraft staff persist as a frequent method of drug trafficking.
The UK Border Force report that over 90 tonnes of illegal drugs have been seized this year so far, including 19 tonnes of cocaine. This marks a 92% increase in comparison to drugs seized in 2024.
Seema Malhotra MP, UK Minister for Migration and Citizenship, stated:
“We are determined to protect the public from illegal drugs, especially so-called party drugs like cocaine and ketamine, which pose a real threat to young people’s lives”.
As investigations continue to unfold, pressure is mounting on the aviation industry to strengthen security measures for ground operations serving commercial flights.
Do you think these incidents could be prevented? Share your thoughts below.
