Inflight Entertainment => The missing link => Topic started by: PiperGirl on April 17, 2008, 12:46:40 PM
Title: Drug Plane
Post by: PiperGirl on April 17, 2008, 12:46:40 PM
This fax was sent to our airport a couple of days ago. Kind of an odd scenario. Also, Av Web had an article about it too. http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archives/avflash/1095-full.html#197669 (http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archives/avflash/1095-full.html#197669)
Quote
4/14108 From The AViation Crime Prevention Institute, Inc. $5,000 REWARD is offered by AIG Aviation Inc, for the intact return of the fol/owing aircraft 1978 Cessna TU208G, U.S. registration N756RM, Serial No: U206-Q4296. ACPI has just received a report of a armed theft of this aircraft on Monday morning April 14th, 2008. The theft occurred at EI Gal/ito Airport, operated by the Hotel Serenidad in Muldge, Mexico, This city is on the GUlf of California about halfway down the Baja Peninsula. The aircraft was loaded with the owner, passenger and baggage at the departure end of the runway ready to takeoff. It was then surrounded by six armed men. The hijackers forced the people off the plane and boarded. It took off eastbound. The aircraft is White with tan stripes, No other details are available at this time. There was another theft from this airport in December of 2006. AIG contact is: Seth Magid, Claims Unit Manager AIG Aviation Inc. Scottsdale, AZ 85254 (480) 699-8485: Phone, (480) 699-8280: Fax Or Contact: ACPI, 800-969•5473, acpiusa@aol.com www.acpiorg
Title: Re: Drug Plane
Post by: gibbo_335 on April 18, 2008, 02:29:14 AM
::eek:: CRIKEY!!!! ::eek::
Title: Re: Drug Plane
Post by: Rooster Cruiser on April 18, 2008, 04:59:21 AM
Another 206 theft from Mulege??? That sucks. I recall the last one that was stolen from there also.
I just checked the Baja Bush Pilots website and they have no report yet on this theft. I don't know why. Not that it matters, they'll never find this airplane again.
The Cessna 206 is a favorite airplane for drug runners in Mexico because it is easy to fly, it can operate out of short dirt strips and haul huge loads of illegal drugs. The drug gangs do not concern themselves with maintenance either... they just run 'em til they crash, then go steal another from wherever they can find one. You could say they treat em as disposable airplanes. Armed robbery at gunpoint is nothing to these guys, period. Its usually a good idea to just let them take your airplane instead of put up a fight and take a bullet in the head.
I've never landed at Mulege, so I do not know what the place is like or where the local Army contingent was on this day. I have heard that the place is beautiful, the Hotel Serenidad is highly recommended, and the fishing is excellent there. However, Baja California is literally the Wild Wild West in places so it behooves you to plan your trips with caution. These desperados made a very bold attack. Maybe in the future it would be a good idea to speak with the owner of the Hotel on departure day and ask if he can arrange for the local troops to be dispatched to the airport until the airplane is safely airborne.
Better yet, don't take a Cessna 206 to Mexico. Not that it matters, they'll just come north and start stealing them from US airports like they were doing 10 years ago. ::banghead:: ::banghead:: ::banghead:: ::rambo:: ::rambo:: ::rambo::
Title: Re: Drug Plane
Post by: gibbo_335 on April 18, 2008, 05:12:52 AM
::eek:: CRIKEY....AGAIN!!!! ::eek::
Title: Re: Drug Plane
Post by: Oddball on April 18, 2008, 06:53:13 AM
i go with Gibbo's answer CRIKEY!!!
Title: Re: Drug Plane
Post by: airtac on April 18, 2008, 07:32:42 AM
YEP, and in Mexico, you can't carry your own gun for protection, proving the point that "when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns" ::banghead::
Title: Re: Drug Plane
Post by: PiperGirl on April 18, 2008, 02:29:17 PM
YEP, and in Mexico, you can't carry your own gun for protection, proving the point that "when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns" ::banghead::
So Ture.
Title: Re: Drug Plane
Post by: Oddball on April 18, 2008, 03:59:41 PM
suprised that they dont have thier own form of airport security if this has happened before.
Title: Re: Drug Plane
Post by: airtac on April 18, 2008, 04:22:33 PM
suprised that they dont have thier own form of airport security if this has happened before.
Mulege is a rather small rural place with a crude little landing strip down by the beach :-\ Their version of airport security might be a mordida seeking federali looking to line his pockets from the first available tourist--since I don't speak Spanish, my experience with any government officials has always been guarded at best------------Hey RC, do you speak it?
Title: Re: Drug Plane
Post by: spacer on April 18, 2008, 05:22:44 PM
Lucky for the crooks, the War on (some) Drugs keeps the profit margin so high.
Title: Re: Drug Plane
Post by: TheSoccerMom on April 18, 2008, 05:30:17 PM
Seems like it happens a LOT. The Forest Service had a King Air 200 stolen right out from under their noses years ago... from Atlanta, I think. It went on to years of service running drugs.. and was recovered later, complete with the ::rambo:: holes in the fuselage... Whenever we flew in Florida we had to have all manner of chain locks and extra security.. and this was a long time ago...
Got a funny story about flying a T.O. on a military job and landing at night at 3 little dirt strips... to practice attacks... the same 3 strips, night after night... near the border... we got comfortable enough that we went lights out and were feeling pretty happy that we had our landings down to the exact minute they requested.... ATC knew all about us and we flipped off the transponder, etc.
You can guess the rest.... all US & Mexican agencies had been told, from the locals up to the feds, EXCEPT for U.S. Customs.... ::loony:: on about night #4, they chased us literally into our parking spot back at the base airport and we got the whole treatment, guns and all.... "Step away from the aircraft...".. blinding lights in our faces... I asked the guy "Don't you think if we wanted to run drugs, we woldn't have the damn airplane painted bright orange?" (fire paint job)...
They turned out to be cool guys (except for one, he was like Frank Burns on M*A*S*H* & was almost in tears that we weren't real crooks), and they all hopped in the Minivan and said the usual "Oh man, I'd love to fly a Twin Otter!" It was pretty funny... though those first few minutes weren't so humorous.
You never know what fun you're in for.....
::)
Title: Re: Drug Plane
Post by: airtac on April 18, 2008, 11:54:15 PM
YIKES MOMMY! ::unbelieveable:: A dope smuggler too---You just get better and better |:)\ I think you could pick up some off season work ;) Let me know if you need help...........
Title: Re: Drug Plane
Post by: Oddball on April 19, 2008, 07:02:19 AM
was "hot lips" houalagn (wrong spelling i know) there s'mom? big M*A*S*H fan got the film and all the tv series on dvd
Title: Re: Drug Plane
Post by: TheSoccerMom on April 20, 2008, 05:20:03 AM
Ha ha.. no "Hot Lips" there... and the nerdy guy was SO uptight... it was obvious the other two guys thought he was a bit of a wingnut.... ::loony::
They actually had a name for him that I can't repeat here....
It was pretty funny... they kept laughing and saying "Man! We couldn't slow down enough to stay overhead, you were too slow, we kept having to make 360s!"
