PIA crew members detained in UK return

Airline has launched probe to determine how narcotics were brought on board London-bound flight

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) crew members, who were detained by British authorities in London after heroin was recovered from a UK-bound flight, arrived in Pakistan on Thursday.

According to Express News, the crew members of flight PK-785 returned to the country after they were given their passports which had been confiscated by the National Crime Agency of Britain.

Reports said an investigation has been launched in the matter by the national flag carrier to determine how the drug was brought onboard the aircraft in Islamabad before flying to London. British authorities had confirmed on Tuesday that they were investigating the matter relating to the recovery of narcotics from the London-bound flight.



In February, a Heathrow-bound PIA aircraft was intercepted and escorted by fighter jets to Stansted Airport in northeast London because of a “vague security threat”. Later, a suspect was arrested and charged with fraud and misrepresentation by Met Police.

Khalid Baqa, the 52-year-old suspect was previously jailed for two years in 2012, after being charged with three counts of possession of terrorist material and one count of dissemination of terrorist material.