Luisde8cd From Venezuela, joined Aug 2004, 2518 posts, RR: 34 Posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 6 days 12 hours ago) and read 3445 times:
In what has become a regular sight... Federal Police in MEX have caught about 1 ton of pure cocaine coming from CCS on Mexicana's flight 374.
The cocaine was found in 25 bags all of which weighted 40 kilos! The bags were in the baggage claim area of MEX.
I wonder how it was possible to load 25 overweight pure cocaine bags into MX374 and none of them were detected during the unload process in MEX's tarmac. I also wonder how Venezuelan authorities didn't see this happen.
Since 2005 there has been almost one weekly cocaine shipment caught by the police in MEX, imagine how many shipments go unnoticed...
Last year I baptized this flight as the "Cocaine Express" and boy it has made it name proud.
It's amazing how this country (Venezuela) is sinking in deep shit with widespread corruption and criminal gangs owning all of our asses.
N405MX From Mexico, joined May 2004, 1378 posts, RR: 11 Reply 1, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 3277 times:
It´s a very good question, how this goes unnoticed, also how is going for the W&B of the plane in CCS and how the bags reached the claim area if they have to go thru PFP first when they are downloaded from the plane.
This doesn´t look good and specially for the other flight we are searching Luis.
Saludos
Life is what happens when you have other plans.....
Jben From Australia, joined Aug 2006, 76 posts, RR: 4 Reply 2, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 6 days 2 hours ago) and read 3159 times:
It's simple really... you pay enough people enough money to get what you want. And really, given the price for that much cocaine... It's $103.70 per gram in 2006 dollars. On wholesale prices, it's $22,814 per kilogram (2004 prices). Which would make the shipment worth $22,814,000. Even if you had to spend 10% to bribe people, it's still money well spent. And cripes, it's not like the drug cartels are short of money...
Ghost77 From Mexico, joined Mar 2000, 5130 posts, RR: 53 Reply 3, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 6 days ago) and read 3067 times:
Corruption at CCS airport and some ground handling people of MX or is it a 3rd party service in charge of the operation? Really sad and bad... Venezuela as a whole... where are they heading????
Ricardo Morales - flyAPM - ¡No es que maneje rapido, solo estoy volando lento!
Avianca From Venezuela, joined Jan 2005, 5858 posts, RR: 40 Reply 4, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 3047 times:
Quoting Luisde8cd (Thread starter): I also wonder how Venezuelan authorities didn't see this happen.
Quoting Luisde8cd (Thread starter): Since 2005 there has been almost one weekly cocaine shipment caught by the police in MEX, imagine how many shipments go unnoticed...
Quoting Luisde8cd (Thread starter): It's amazing how this country (Venezuela) is sinking in deep shit with widespread corruption and criminal gangs owning all of our asses.
Quoting Ghost77 (Reply 3): Corruption at CCS airport and some ground handling people of MX or is it a 3rd party service in charge of the operation? Really sad and bad... Venezuela as a whole... where are they heading????
great..... the problem are the ground handler and "surprise surprise" the antidrug unit of the national guards .... never saw such corrupt guys.... for every normal shpt you have to pay, even it is a normal exportacion otherwise .....
Latinplane From United States of America, joined Dec 1999, 2636 posts, RR: 15 Reply 5, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 17 hours ago) and read 2929 times:
I was just watching Televisa's news which ran a report about the notorious history of Mexicana's flight 374 CCS-MEX and all the times that they have found large drug shipments - very interesting report.
It must be clarified that most of these drug shipments caught in Mexico are from Colombia, but use Venezuela as a transfer point because controls are less stringent in Venezuela. It is also important to understand that there is a lot of corruption both in Venezuela and Mexico that is perpetuating these events.
Abrelosojos From Venezuela, joined May 2005, 4919 posts, RR: 55 Reply 6, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 10 hours ago) and read 2842 times:
Quoting Latinplane (Reply 5): It is also important to understand that there is a lot of corruption both in Venezuela and Mexico that is perpetuating these events.
= Very well said.
Quoting Ghost77 (Reply 3): Corruption at CCS airport and some ground handling people of MX or is it a 3rd party service in charge of the operation? Really sad and bad... Venezuela as a whole... where are they heading????
Quoting Luisde8cd (Thread starter): It's amazing how this country (Venezuela) is sinking in deep shit with widespread corruption and criminal gangs owning all of our asses.
= ... and don't forget, demand creates supply. For example, it would be plain silly to blame all the Mexican drug-lords and drug-wars on the U.S-Mexico border on the corruptness of Mexican officials; U.S. demand is at fault as welll. This is not a national issue as much as a societal problem without boundaries.
Captaink From Mexico, joined May 2001, 5095 posts, RR: 13 Reply 7, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 2793 times:
Quoting Ghost77 (Reply 3): Corruption at CCS airport and some ground handling people of MX or is it a 3rd party service in charge of the operation? Really sad and bad... Venezuela as a whole... where are they heading????
Who purchases these large quantities of cocaine. It is someone here in Mexico, so attention has to be given to that as well.
Clickhappy From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 9459 posts, RR: 72 Reply 8, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 2782 times:
PanAm747 From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 4242 posts, RR: 9 Reply 9, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 2756 times:
Quote: Has Chavez nationalized the cocaine industry yet?
Oh, come on!! Oil will eventually run out, but Americans insatiable desire for illegal drugs will NEVER end. Of COURSE he has nationalized the cocaine industry...heck, knowing what we know about him, he probably started in the cocaine shipping business!
Pan Am:The World's Most Experienced Airline - P(oor) S(ailor's) A(irline): San Diego's Hometown Airline-Catch Our Smile!
Abrelosojos From Venezuela, joined May 2005, 4919 posts, RR: 55 Reply 11, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 7 hours ago) and read 2687 times:
Quoting N405MX (Reply 10): Good point, as some of us don´t understand the pressure of the States to other goverments to avoid drugs, if they don´t stop consuming it ?
Saludos
= Very good point. This is exactly what I am saying. Lets focus on the real problems hear instead of getting caught up in the political rhetoric of some. Also, lets stick to aviation ....
Marcus From Mexico, joined Apr 2001, 1726 posts, RR: 2 Reply 12, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 7 hours ago) and read 2660 times:
OK let's stick to aviation then.........
If this 1 ton of cocaine was loaded but obviously not declared, would this added weight affect the handling of the A319?, would the pilots notice in maybe fuel burn or climb?
These are honest questions I'm asking and there is no hidden intent in them, I do not know how 1 ton of undeclared weight would affect (if any) the flight characteristics of the A319.
Kids!....we are going to the happiest place on earth...TIJUANA! signed: Krusty the Clown
Maverick623 From United States of America, joined Nov 2006, 4782 posts, RR: 6 Reply 13, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 6 hours ago) and read 2620 times:
Quoting Marcus (Reply 12): I do not know how 1 ton of undeclared weight would affect (if any) the flight characteristics of the A319.
2000 pounds is quite a bit of weight for a 319. Even if loaded properly, the increase in fuel burn would be noticeable
Luisde8cd From Venezuela, joined Aug 2004, 2518 posts, RR: 34 Reply 14, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 4 hours ago) and read 2575 times:
Quoting Abrelosojos (Reply 6): .. and don't forget, demand creates supply. For example, it would be plain silly to blame all the Mexican drug-lords and drug-wars on the U.S-Mexico border on the corruptness of Mexican officials; U.S. demand is at fault as welll. This is not a national issue as much as a societal problem without boundaries.
Indeed. It's very silly that the US imposes such "light" penalties for possession of drugs. I mean, it's legal to have weed for your own consumption but not to sell it, right? All these drug problems could be easy solved if the US would punish possession of drugs (any quantity) with death penalty just like Singapore does. I can see all drug cartels in Mexico, Venezuela and Colombia disappearing the day after.
Quoting Avianca (Reply 4): for every normal shpt you have to pay, even it is a normal exportacion otherwise
Welcome to the BOLIVARIAN republic of Venezuela
Quoting Clickhappy (Reply 8): Has Chavez nationalized the cocaine industry yet?
No, but he signed a deal with Evo Morales to buy ABSOLUTELY all of Bolivia's surplus Coca leaf production. Chavez is very smart, he buys raw stuff from the poor indigenous people, he refines it with the help of his FARC Guerrilla friends and then exports it to the Evil Empire for a large surplus! Viva Chavez!
Quoting Marcus (Reply 12): If this 1 ton of cocaine was loaded but obviously not declared, would this added weight affect the handling of the A319?, would the pilots notice in maybe fuel burn or climb?
MX sends the A320, it's a bit larger than the A319 but it's still one ton. That's having like 13 more pax on board weight-wise...
Saludos desde Caracas,
Luis
Viasa we miss you!. Good times will return after Chavez is gone!
KLM685 From Mexico, joined May 2005, 1577 posts, RR: 20 Reply 16, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 3 hours ago) and read 2494 times:
Quoting Luisde8cd (Thread starter): I wonder how it was possible to load 25 overweight pure cocaine bags into MX374
Quoting Luisde8cd (Thread starter): I also wonder how Venezuelan authorities didn't see this happen.
It's obvious what's going on here. Although I never expected drug now coming from Venezuela AS WELL, it's sad to hear this news. I have many FA friends in MX and many have this very interesting stories and some scary ones that like it or not makes a lot of sense. Mostly from BOG of course.
Sometimes things are left on the airplane after getting people of the plane and from past experiences FA don't keep anything as sometimes...it's just on purpose.
The people related to this is of course the main authorities that deal with drug as well with baggage handlers that are paid to get things into the plane. It's believed that the authorities just say they catch people with 300 kg of drugs while there was more in the flight... just to make appear as if the good boys are there all the time.
Also I wondered how the pilots did not notice a "change" in the normal weight for that flight of for a normal flight. Many people seem to be involved here, otherwise how easier could it be?
ElPelon From Mexico, joined Jul 2003, 127 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 3 hours ago) and read 2470 times:
I guess we cannot only blame CCS lack of security on this issue. MX is responsible too, because if this happens often, and always on the same flight, I wonder why MX hasn't increased the security procedures to check the luggage that goes inside that plane. Even if they have a 3rd party company in charge of loading the aircraft, I would assume that after this situation became a continuous thing, MX would have to pay close attention to this flight and to what is loaded in it. I'm sure that this kind of shipments can´t go unnoticed to who ever is in charge of the flight.
Khobar From United States of America, joined Mar 2006, 2379 posts, RR: 4 Reply 18, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 2397 times:
Quoting Abrelosojos (Reply 6): = ... and don't forget, demand creates supply. For example, it would be plain silly to blame all the Mexican drug-lords and drug-wars on the U.S-Mexico border on the corruptness of Mexican officials; U.S. demand is at fault as welll. This is not a national issue as much as a societal problem without boundaries.
Actually, the suppliers create the demand in large part by introducing it to school children, giving away "free" samples, and glorifying it as being hip, cool, or whatever. They don't call them pushers for nothing.
Quoting PanAm747 (Reply 9): Oh, come on!! Oil will eventually run out, but Americans insatiable desire for illegal drugs will NEVER end.
Americans are not unique in their desire for illegal drugs. Fact is, there will always be stupid people on the planet.
Back to the aviation side of things, I remember reading a case years ago of a pilot flying back and forth from S. America or Caribean, and for some reason his flights always used a little more fuel than anyone else flying that route, even flying the same plane. After some time of this the airline launched an internal investigation to find out what the deal was. Turned out there was a reason the plane burned more fuel with this particular pilot. He was smuggling - live lobsters!
I don't recall the specifics, but it seemed to involve Eastern Airlines, and the pilot was bringing the lobsters to his restaurant. Something like that.
Abrelosojos From Venezuela, joined May 2005, 4919 posts, RR: 55 Reply 19, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 2303 times:
Quoting Khobar (Reply 18): Quoting Abrelosojos (Reply 6):
= ... and don't forget, demand creates supply. For example, it would be plain silly to blame all the Mexican drug-lords and drug-wars on the U.S-Mexico border on the corruptness of Mexican officials; U.S. demand is at fault as welll. This is not a national issue as much as a societal problem without boundaries.
Actually, the suppliers create the demand in large part by introducing it to school children, giving away "free" samples, and glorifying it as being hip, cool, or whatever. They don't call them pushers for nothing.
= Notice the language I used ... "U.S. demans is at fault AS WELL".
N405MX From Mexico, joined May 2004, 1378 posts, RR: 11 Reply 21, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 2225 times:
Quoting Luisde8cd (Reply 14): MX sends the A320, it's a bit larger than the A319 but it's still one ton. That's having like 13 more pax on board weight-wise...
MX sends the A320, but a ton still is a lot of weight.....
Quoting ElPelon (Reply 17): MX is responsible too, because if this happens often, and always on the same flight, I wonder why MX hasn't increased the security procedures to check the luggage that goes inside that plane.
But when you change that provider for 8 times in 1 year and still having trouble, what would you do ?
Quoting Maverick623 (Reply 13): 2000 pounds is quite a bit of weight for a 319. Even if loaded properly, the increase in fuel burn would be noticeable
Indeed, and there are many ways to keep that weight without notice, one of the easyest ways is ti switch the bags when they are uploaded on the plane, or even when they are in the conveyor, just keeping an estimated of the weight of each bag, unless is a well planned movement.....
Saludos
Life is what happens when you have other plans.....
777ER From New Zealand, joined Dec 2003, 11350 posts, RR: 17 Reply 22, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 2187 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW FORUM MODERATOR
I watched last night on TV an interesting show about a married couple from the UK who were on holiday on CCS and their money ran out. They ended up agreeing to take cocaine as part of their baggage on MX374. When it was their turn to go throu customs screening before check-in, the customs officer just flagged them throu when he saw all their bags. When the couple were about to board their next flight from Mexico back to the UK they were arrested after the bags were found. They are currently serving 3 years out of their 10 year sentence
Khobar From United States of America, joined Mar 2006, 2379 posts, RR: 4 Reply 23, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 2116 times:
Quoting Abrelosojos (Reply 19): = Notice the language I used ... "U.S. demans is at fault AS WELL".
Yes, indeed, notice the language you used: DEMAND CREATES SUPPLY, point blank, followed by your comment re: US demand.
The drug lords are not simply business people providing a service and making a quick peso in the process, and they aren't working alone.
Abrelosojos From Venezuela, joined May 2005, 4919 posts, RR: 55 Reply 24, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 2106 times:
Quoting Khobar (Reply 23): Yes, indeed, notice the language you used: DEMAND CREATES SUPPLY, point blank, followed by your comment re: US demand.
The drug lords are not simply business people providing a service and making a quick peso in the process, and they aren't working alone.
= This will be my last post in the banter with you as otherwise we will continue going back and forth. PM me if interested in more. Demand does create supply. If there was no inherent demand for a product, then there would be no suppliers. That of course says nothing about the supply-side version of it. Bottom line: it takes two to tango.
Cheers,
A.
PS: Regarding U.S. demand ... it is a well known fact that demand for drugs illegitimate drugs exist in the U.S. (like elsewhere). It just happens that intra-Americana trade is derived from U.S. demand.
Live, and let live.
25 TACAA320: Indeed. And who knows at how many other airports around the world.
26 EddieDude: Oh man, no need to be so harsh! The Netherlands is too small territory-wise to accomodate so many migrants!
27 Adriaticus: As Logan mentioned before, MX has often changed their CCS ground support vendor due breach of contract and other issues (such as this one). CCS port
28 Avianca: heard once that Iran has the biggest consumer pro-rate regarding drucks worldwide.... but the stuff that they are using comes directly from Afghanist
29 LongHaul67: I've heard that GIG and GRU have been major smuggling points for Colombian drug cartels for a number of years now. Apparently most of this drug is bou
30 Avianca: yes heard the same.... and the best is that it seems that the drugs are on-forwarded via SouthernAfirica on Business Jets .. and than via various way
31 AndesSMF: The FARC has carried on the civil war for many years, but it is said that nowadays it has to do more with drugs and money than with politics. And IIR
32 Avianca: but be sure 100 $ will not enough that days... specially if these guys have Hummers as cars.... I should change my job...
33 AndesSMF: You could. We forgot to add the 'fees' demanded when you send a shipment as well. Many times we have had to pay double for any shipment sent to my mo
34 Avianca: true but I woudlnt.... even if I do not have a Hummer .... I know I dont to anythting bad...
35 Cessnalady: Unconfirmed: Last Friday 2/23 two "mules" were detained at MEX airport; one lady carrying 5Kg of heroin arrived in AV73 from BOG, and one Spanish folk
Sponsor Message: 
From Venezuela, joined Aug 2004, 2518 posts, 
From Mexico, joined May 2004, 1378 posts, 
From Australia, joined Aug 2006, 76 posts, 
From United States of America, joined Dec 1999, 2636 posts, 
LatinPlane
From New Zealand, joined Dec 2003, 11350 posts, 
Printer friendly format 
