I was going to post something else today, but when I came across this article and video clip I felt it something that needs to be shared to spread awareness for travelers.
Today’s post is about a new scam going on at airports here in Canada, Toronto airport specifically, and no doubts at any airport globally. I’m sure you’ve heard of drug mules. Ya, it seems that’s the old fashioned way drug dealers get their goods across borders – using humans to transport drugs. But hey, why risk one’s life using that old method when you can be a criminal working as a baggage handler?
Yes, say goodbye to human drug mules and just snatch someone else’s tag off their luggage and if the drugs make it through, the suitcase is picked up at baggage carousel and walked out with a suitcase full of drugs. OR. The bag gets caught through screening and YOU are the one who gets arrested.
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Here’s how it works:
The criminal baggage handler tears off the destination luggage tag from anyone’s bag and sticks it on the bag full of drugs. Those airport luggage tags are fully coded in the barcodes with all our personal information. Then they either leave our bag with no tag at all, or, they stick a ‘rush’ tag on it as lost luggage.This works like a charm for them! So, if the drug bag gets pulled off the belt, it is us who gets arrested.
So far, this scam crime has happened to SEVENTEEN Canadians – and all occurences began at my own Toronto Lester B. Pearson airport. Some of those innocent Canadians are sitting in jails in various parts of the world. The luckier ones were detained in Canada as bags were caught before takeoff.
In the video below, Avery Haines, one of our better Canadian journalists, does a report on what is happening, on our Saturday night crime show – W5, how it happens, consequences, and what we can do to try and protect ourselves when checking bags at the airport. I’d say any airport because scams are like viruses, they spread like fire once the criminals catch on. Fortunately, our Canadian RCMP is quite aware of this new crime because of the Canadians who were wrongly arrested in Canada. One Canadian couple were released from detention after a few hours because of a brainstorm idea. They pulled up the feed from their Ring camera at home and showed authorities the footage of them leaving for the airport with THEIR BAGS. This is now what helps to protect our innocence. Other Canadians stranded in foreign country jails are being worked with authorities and our RCMP, but much tougher to get some out of jails.
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All our personal info is embedded in these tags
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Here is a great Recommendation:
When you place your bag on the airport scale when checking in, take a picture of the bag, the bag tagged, AND, what the weight scale shows. The drug suitcase with YOUR stolen tag attached won’t exactly match the same weight displayed. These three things will have the proof which is our bag and which is not. It’s a sad state of affairs when we have more to worry about when flying, not knowing if our bag will be the next chosen by criminals, putting us in detention – and possibly, jail. It’s imperative we stay ahead of the criminals!
It doesnt take much to pay off a baggage handler to pull off a tag and stick it on another. It’s noted that there is a crime ring attached to this new crime, these people are not working alone. The sad world we live in thrives on corruption because everyone else is doing it. Everyone seems to have an angle, a new way to steal from others so they don’t have to exert themselves in life. Crime and greed are everywhere now so please do your diligence my fellow travelers.
W5 Investigation exposes how drugs are smuggled through Canadian airports
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