Mitesh Shah warns after 17 travelers arrested near Toronto Pearson International Airport
Mitesh Shah warned Canadian travelers after an investigation reported an alleged luggage tag-switching drug-smuggling scheme involving airport staff at toronto pearson international airport. At least 17 passengers flying from Canada were arrested and jailed abroad over the past year after their baggage tags were allegedly switched.
Mitesh Shah’s warning
Shah, the CEO of Empire Protection, said the scheme has been going on for a while: "It’s been going on for a while, people are just catching on to it now". He said airport workers allegedly bring their own bags into airports containing illegal drugs and switch the bags’ tags with those of innocent travelers.
Shah said the criminal network may then receive the luggage at its destination and try to remove it from the airport. He also said the blame falls on the traveler whose name is on the tag if authorities intercept the bags. In another remark, he said: "It’s disbelieving, because if you’re taking a trip to the Dominican Republic with your family, you would never imagine that something like this would happen to you".
W5 report and RCMP arrests
CTV News’ investigative unit W5 published its report on Tuesday. According to the investigation, the RCMP arrested six Toronto Pearson International Airport workers over the last year in connection with the alleged bag switching schemes.
That leaves airport staff and ordinary travelers tied to the same allegation. The report says innocent passengers were not the intended couriers, yet their names ended up on the tags attached to bags allegedly carrying drugs.
Toronto Pearson response
Toronto Pearson said it is aware of the issues raised in the investigation and said passenger safety remains a top concern. In an email shared with Now Toronto, the airport said: "Security is a shared responsibility with the federal government, aviation agencies, police and security services and individual employers whose mandates include passenger and cargo screening, the interception of prohibited goods, on-site policing, criminal investigations, background checks, security clearances, worker training and monitoring".
Shah advised travelers to learn the laws and enforcement process in the country they plan to visit before flying. He also said some countries impose severe penalties for drug smuggling, including the death penalty, and recommended avoiding common luggage in favor of bags that are easy to distinguish and identify.
