Virgin staff threatened over missing pot

Virgin staff threatened over missing pot
By Sam Riches
June 10, 2004

AN interstate drug courier has threatened to kill airport baggage handlers who allegedly stole more than 10kg of cannabis from his luggage.

Police confirmed yesterday they were investigating death threats, while sources said two Virgin employees were expected to be charged over the incident.

It is understood the man threatened Virgin employees after he discovered the drugs missing from his luggage when he disembarked from his domestic flight.

Virgin staff contacted police after the man threatened staff and demanded the return of the drugs. As a result, police are monitoring traffic through the airport.

Sturt CIB is investigating the threats, which occurred after a Virgin flight from Adelaide to Brisbane last month.


"No one has complained to us that they've lost their drugs, but we are investigating threats made to Virgin airline staff and making inquiries with security and baggage staff," Detective Chief Inspector Sid Thomas said. The Advertiser understands a man acting as a drug courier collected cannabis from Adelaide to take back to Queensland.

It is understood the man had more than 10kg of cannabis, valued at up to $90,000, packed in his luggage aboard the Brisbane flight.

The man reached his destination but his additional cargo did not.

He returned to Adelaide and, airport staff claim, threatened to kill baggage handlers unless the cannabis was returned.

Police sources said two Virgin employees were being investigated and charges were expected to be laid.

It is believed the pair had smelt the cannabis while loading the luggage for the flight and had taken it from the passenger's luggage, keeping it for themselves.

"It's no secret that drugs are freighted, but taking them through an airport is certainly fraught with danger," Chief Insp. Thomas said.

"It's a very stupid practice. Apart from being illegal . . . if someone else is aware, it's a very real and very dangerous possibility that you leave yourself open and that innocent people could be injured." It is understood the man has made several threatening phone calls and has approached airport staff yelling obscenities and threats.

Virgin spokeswoman Amanda Bulger yesterday said she was unable to comment on specific details.

"It's not for us to make comment at this stage," she said. "We are working with police to assist them in their investigation.

"There have been some incidents . . . concerning security and we have taken action to address those concerns."

Herald Sun

Stealing drugs; is it the worst offence?

Some years ago in New Zealand, a lengthy and well documented murder case was finally solved when the body of a pot grower was found in the boot of a car parked at the Hamilton Airport. For weeks before Police teams had arrived via the Airport to join the search for the missing man, and had walked right past the body of the victim.


As the story was pieced together it was revealed that someone had stolen the Morrinsville man's dope, a man known as one of the original Hinuera Heaven strain growers; a strain which was very famous throughout the central North Island.

Knowing who stole it, he confronted the man at his house, only to receive a shotgun blast at close range. The "Dead Mans Dope" as it was known made it's way to the street. Without a doubt it was extremely potent mull. Rumours spread that it contained the spirit of the dead man and some wouldn't touch it.

Out of it all came new Legislation making the stealing of marijuana to be placed far above cultivation in severity of crime. The idea was to deter a theft victim from pursuing revenge or attempting retrieval. Over the following years several cases were brought to court through the reporting of thieves.

Whether this legal ruling is still emphasized, or even in place, I don't know. But it seems a very logical and sensible rule. I can't count how many revenge plots I've seen or heard of over the years concerning the stealing of pot.

But somehow I just can't see such a law being passed here, even if it was simply confined to cover marijuana One would think though, that the escapades of those like the infamous Martin Johnson and Terry Clarke wouldn't be too far back in the minds of older law makers 8)

Regardless of how it's viewed, there's always a victim or 2 when it comes to theft.

lol. That's funny shit.
I can't believe he cared that much about some pot to get himself into trouble.
Sure, 10kg is a hefty load for a few people... but shit, it's pot. who gives a crap?

I can't believe he cared that much about some pot to get himself into trouble

Click to expand...

Who knows, perhaps he had nothing to lose. Maybe it was the last chance for him to pay back big owings.

Maybe he wore a wig and had a false beard and ID.

Maybe he was just one mean motherfucker who'd already spent time inside and was actually missing his mates.

Nothing to lose? Maybe. Just realise it's big business and anything goes with some big businessmen, even the ones who travel business class

maybe the person he was carrying the pot for didnt take to kindly that he didnt show up with the goods ?

It is bloody funny that baggae handlers knocked it of though!

Someone would have had a decent amount of money invested somewhere along the line - no wonder why he was pissed.

you have to remember, it's not pot, it's $90,000 !

thats a helova memory phase_dancer !
Winsom

its not like the cops are gonna hand him back his dope and say 'have a nice day', that ganga is GONE. sounds like hes just trying to bring someone down with him... he should thank his lucky stars that the baggage handlers didnt report him to police and have to spend the next 3 yrs in jail!! idiot...

i wonder how the baggage handlers found it? if they could smell it how did he expect to get by the dogs?!

^^^ This guy is obviously a Grade A moron... He attempts to smuggle 10kg of pot. Does it SO poorly that HUMANS can smell it, and then goes to the authorities to report stolen drugs!!!!!!!
UN-BE-Farken-LIEVABLE!!!!

^^ I recently travelled around Australia by plane (Melb -> perth -> adelaide -> brisbane -> canberra (bus to) Sydney and to melb again. I did not see any (sniffer) dogs except once on my holiday. That is when I went to the international airport with a friend for a few hours. I don't think they have sniffer dogs checking domestic flights at a guess.

And the time it takes to load baggage from check in to flight time (people arriving as check in occurs, baggage pretty much goes straight to plane from experience) so theres no time for dogs to check the baggage in that amount of (short) time., Once again, I think there is no dog sniffing to do with domestic baggage at least.

While I have no 'evidence' of sniffer dogs not patrolling domestic flights, I always had the idea that they still did check 'randomly' and not as intensly as international...

Anyone out there a customs agent?

yes, there is dogs. My ex GF works as security at the airport. The ppl that put the lgage on the plane are trained to spot these things, and there are dsogs back there. Just not around the public waiting areas.

What a dick. 8)

The dogs that work at the domestic airport/terminal are few and far between, and tend to only be seen around election time. They tend to patrol "high risk" areas, but nothing like the International Airport/Terminal.

The courier was an absolute twat, and the Virgin Staff were equally as stupid to try and keep the gear.

DJC*

There certainly is dogs in Perth air port. I remeber seeing a media report on two newly trained dogs. One that sniffs out fruit and one that sniffs out drugs!

I remember a few years ago, there was the "murder incident" (cant remember his name, but it was well documented) he was pretty much supplying NZ with MDMA.. Two weeks later after he was killed in the ranges (and large amount of MDMA stolen) the pills he had - surfaced EVERYWHERE - and that was very spooky as even myself wouldnt buy em! "Dead Man Drugs" so to speak... Couldve been a rumour but nonetheless the type of pill that was taken from the dealer was in the papers as well.. They were green cloves...

..bah! I'd reckon if you regularly drop pills, or other illicit grade drugs (maybe exclude Marijuana)... you most probably have dumped a "Dead Man's Drug" down the line.
Remember, MDxx pills, or not... (or no matter the drug...), when alot of big-time drug barons get ripped off, they HAVE to make "examples".

It probably doesn't happen all the time... but it still does happen. I reckon I would've munched a "dead man's drug" somewhere down the line.
Still... pretty freaky shit.