UK-bound flight delayed after cabin crewman arrested
Virgin airline passengers were delayed in Nigeria after police arrested a cabin crew member following the discovery of cocaine on the London-bound plane, it was reported today.
Travellers stayed overnight in hotels or were offered alternative flights when the aircraft was impounded by officials at Murtala Muhammed International Airport near Lagos yesterday.
Narcotics officers are said to have found 1.743kg of cocaine concealed in a black polythene bag inside hand luggage placed in a flight compartment, according to local reports.
The arrested man is thought to be a Nigerian national.
Otunba Lanre Ipinmisho, director general-secretary of Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, commenting on the country’s drug smuggling problem during a press conference in Lagos, said: “The trend is becoming disturbing, and the agency is determined to reverse it.”
A spokeswoman for the airline said the plane had been allowed to fly to the UK and left this afternoon.
She said: “Virgin Atlantic can confirm that a member of cabin crew who was due to operate flight VS652 from Lagos to Heathrow on the 8 August has been detained by the Nigerian authorities in Lagos.
“The airline is cooperating fully with the authorities on this matter. At no point was the safety and security of the passengers compromised.”
