Global Express reportedly stolen in Venezuela . . .

[bizjets101]

Seems it's hard to get details out of Venezuela,

9H-FED Global Express 9234 which was registered to Hyperion Aviation of Malta back in March,
only thing I have so far is the aircraft is reported as 'Missing' from SVVA Airport - Valencia, Venezuela.

Should be an interesting story as it unfolds.

Registered Operator's website doesn't work, nor does their email address??

Hyperion Aviation Malta

Arturo Michelena International Airport Valencia, Venezuela


photo global_5000/flickr

[bizjets101]

Hmmm, company just took delivery of C-GITG 9437 Global 6000 on June 29 2012 now registered 9H-AMF


photo pete webber/abpic

[North Shore]

Seems like a funny thing to steal - it's not like they are easy to hide. Perhaps it was repossessed?

[bizjets101]

I recall successful repos like when the Israelis surprised Idi Amin in Uganda and stole his Jet Commander 1121B 5Y-AAB that he hadn't made any payments on, N11RV Boeing 707 when Lien holders paid Robert Vesco's pilot to steal the airplane from Costa Rica.

Another I recall was an attempt to repo a Hawker in Madagascar - when they realized it wasn't going to work - the aircraft was riddled with machine gun fire!!

Then there was the US Navy seals sent to disable Noriega's Lear Jet - 4 Seals were killed when they were surprised by well hidden soldiers guarding the aircraft. click here.

On the side of theft, there is the stolen Boeing 727 in Africa click here N844AA. (ex American Airlines)

On August 12 2006 the Columbian Armed Forces shot down a Gulfstream II serial 68 of unknown registration and ownership - after it was suspected of being on a drug run. click here

On Sept 24 2007 Gulfstream II N987SA crashed in Mexico crashed in an emergency landing with 3.6 tonnes of cocaine on board.



Then again there was the Air Luxor of Portugal CS-DCT Citation X busted in Venezuela with coke and illegally seized by the Govt., the aircraft to this day has a Interpol warrant to be seized if it shows up anywhere outside of Venezuela or Cuba. (Though I did see it on the news picking up freed FARC hostages at a remote Colombian airstrip). pprune archives

[bizjets101]

Found it, apparently the crew - a Colombian pilot, German Co-Pilot, and German Flight Attendant were detained in the Canary Islands. Aircraft departed Valencia to Palm Beach where they refueled, then flew to Gran Canaria Airport (Canary Islands) where the aircraft's crew were arrested and the aircraft seized on an International Warrant from Interpol.

The aircraft's hold was full of 50 kilo boxes marked Red Cross and claimed to be Humanitarian Aid - the police have not reported what is in the boxes but hinted at cocaine (no surprise). Aircraft was final destination was an unnamed airport in Germany.



Now I can say it - what are the odds that a Corporate Jet out of South America with the registration 'FED' would be running drugs?

[bizjets101]

What a mess - crew under arrest - two German pilots, one Austrian flight attendant. Passenger who was dropped off - a female is being sought. 28 persons suspected of being involved in Venezuela including airport employees.

Aircraft searched under court order after being detained on an Interpol Red Notice - over 1,000 kilos of cocaine disguised as humanitarian aide, I've read Red Cross.

Aircraft arrived at Valencia at 23:00 Saturday - possibly from Grenada - and dropped off one passenger - Rima Taucut who is a Venezuelan citizen - who then traveled to Maiquetía and boarded a commercial flight to Spain.

The airport closed at 24:00 - the crew who remained with the Global - filed a flight plan to Brazil - however at 02:26 Sunday without authorization departed and headed for Florida.

At 03:41 the aircraft left Venezuelan airspace which triggered a National Security Alert - it was learned the final destination of the aircraft was Benin in West Africa. By 08:00 Interpol had issued a Red Notice and at 17:20 the aircraft was detained when it landed at Gran Canaria, Canary Islands.

[bizjets101]

Google Translation;

Seeing how the National Police encircled the private plane, its pilot, a Colombian, 39, confessed to the agents of Red Cross packages were hiding a ton of cocaine. They had removed the seats of the luxurious jet to use the room as drug store. Cocaine from a Colombian cartel unknown to Interpol.

The private jet pilot held since last Sunday in Gran Canaria airport confessed to the agents of the National Police that the Red Cross packages on the plane had actually hiding a ton of cocaine. His confession, as noted yesterday, sources close to the investigation, came before the agents proceed to examine the bales.


The three prisoners, the pilot, originally from Colombia and 39 years, the German co-pilot and 28, and wife of 29 years and also a German national, had removed all of the luxury airline seats to store 1,400 kilos of cocaine brought on board. Neither the National Police and Interpol itself, it was who gave the notice to its interception, knew what brought the plane. In fact, suspicions were among a shipment of weapons and cocaine. Finally, it was this second option.


What we do know is that the jet, which landed Sunday in Gran Canaria for fuel, when it was held, was that the flight was bringing an illegal shipment.

[DanWEC]

Nutty story! Interesting to hear the motives unfold.
Curious though, that n a plane full of illegal drugs, they would have elected to draw all kinds of attention by taking off from a closed airport?

[bizjets101]

A court in the central Venezuelan state of Carabobo ordered 18 people jailed provisionally, including nine Bolivarian National Guard (GNB) agents and a member of the Sebin intelligence service, in the case of a drug-running aircraft that was nabbed in Spain.

The federal Attorney General's Office said in a communique on Saturday that 18 people remain in jail of the 24 detained after the unauthorized takeoff last weekend of a private plane, which was subsequently impounded on the Spanish island of Gran Canaria along with the 1,588 kilos (1 3/4 tons) of very pure cocaine it was carrying.

Venezuelan Interior Minister Tareck el Aissami said that the plane took off in the wee hours of Aug. 13 from Arturo Michelena International Airport in the central city of Valencia without authorization and with the runway lights turned off, and that Venezuelan authorities quickly notified Interpol and several European countries including Spain.

The AG's office said that those implicated are accused of drug trafficking and illicit association, and that among those in custody, besides the Bolivarian National Guard agents, are an air traffic controller, two officials of Civil Aviation, or INAC, an airport guard and four people associated with a naval services company.

Also accused, but only required to report in periodically, are airport President Freddy Rodriguez, General Manager Jaime Palacios, and the director of airport operations, Anibal Jose Rojas, all suspected accomplices of a drug trafficking operation.

Also accused under those conditions are another two National Guard agents.

Venezuelan authorities said during the week that the aircraft, a Bombardier BD-7000 with the Maltese registration 9HFED, had landed in Venezuela last Saturday night on a flight from Trinidad and Tobago, though its flight plan said it came from Grenada.

The flight plan also indicated that the plane was scheduled to fly the next day to Brazil, but instead took off Sunday at 2:26 a.m. local time (0700 GMT) with the airport closed, and was headed east at the time Interpol was notified.

The head of the Spanish police, Ignacio Cosido, said Wednesday that the seizure of 1 3/4 tons of cocaine from the aircraft on Gran Canaria would mean "a powerful blow" to drug trafficking rings operating in Venezuela. EFE

source

[bizjets101]

WOW - just stumble across a crazy update to this story - a must read ....

http://www.spiegel.de/international/wor ... 07402.html

[Changes in Latitudes]

Yeesh, what an ordeal. An amazing story, makes me grateful that I'm a little more domestic these days.

[Rowdy]

Wild!

[Johnny#5]

That's some crazy sh$t!

[Jet Jockey]

Sleep in the aircraft and not the hotel?

[xsbank]

Mmmm Global Express. Best airplane I ever flew. The ones I flew were all 1st generation, the new avionics are supposed to be the bee's knees.

The only improbable was the sleeping in the airplane part. Global guys get 'nice' hotels and meals etc.; you could, but I can't see it.

I did a little gun-running into Muscat once, but that story will only be heard in a bar.

[smokescreen_wshh]

That is some insane 'ish right there.

Jeez