Security Risks: Are You Aware? Continued from page 55 a “simple” security breach. It has the potential to escalate into further criminal acts, including terrorism, vandalism, theft and property dam- age. One popular Discovery Series, called “Airplane Repo,” demonstrates how easy it can be to enter property without authorization and take the aircraft in question. While their intention is to repossess an aircraft whose owner has fallen behind on payments, their ability to gain unauthorized access emphasizes the present gaps in aviation security. Understandably, if an aircraft is being repossessed, then there are probably few security measures being implemented; but, for those that are operational, enforcing a higher standard of security is a must. This may include hiring patrol officers, installing security gates and requir- ing identification cards. Any one of these methods acts as a natural deterrent, sending a message that the property is under monitoring surveillance. Running certain types of background checks, before and during employment, can also provide companies with alerts to employees’ past and current actions, including criminal arrests or convictions and potential insider threat activities. DRUG TRAFFICKING President Richard Nixon declared a “war on drugs” in 1971. Two years later, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) was established with the intent to pursue foreign drug cartels and stop the influx of illegal substances into the United States. Drug cartels relied heav- ily on commercial flights and small 56 watercraft to transport cocaine and other substances into the country. However, by the late 1970s, those transportation methods were becom- ing too risky and no longer effective. The solution for the Colombian Medellin Syndicate was to establish its own aviation flight department. Large aircraft from Colombia flew into their hub in the Bahamas with loads of cocaine; it was then trans- ferred to smaller aircraft for transpor- tation to Florida and other southern states. The Bahamian government eventually seized the hub, but it did not put a stop to drug traffickers’ use of aircraft for the transportation of cocaine and other drugs. Despite the efforts of mitigating drug trafficking, where there’s a will, there’s a way. A 2008 post by Aviation International News states: “Since 1991 the [U.S.] government has seized approximately 160 aircraft worth more than $100 million. The aircraft were used in a variety of illegal activities, rang- ing from the transport of drugs from South America into the U.S. and their subsequent movement throughout the states, to the transfer of money back into South America.” Aircraft continue to be used as a mode of transportation for the shipment of illicit drugs into, out of, and within the United States. Multiple sources report drug cartels are purchasing older business jets and recreational ultralight aircraft to move their merchandise. Traffickers also use chartered aircraft, sometimes through direct rental of the craft and sometimes through armed action. In 2012, for example, a German pilot and his crew were forced at gunpoint to receive and transport 47 bags of cocaine to the Canary Islands. The plane was seized by authorities and the crew spent months in prison before they were finally exonerated. Furthermore, by the time the char- tered jet was returned, the company had lost tens of thousands of euros. Under 49 U.S. Code § 46306, the DEA has the legal right to seize any aircraft it suspects of having been used for drug trafficking; and, when an aircraft is seized by the DEA, the aviation company is considered guilty until it proves its innocence. Due to the time and money required to navigate the federal system, a seizure can be more than many can afford. An operation based in New York suffered this fate in 2004 when a drug trafficker falsely presented himself as a mortgage broker. The DEA seized three Lear 35s that yielded 64 kilograms of cocaine, weapons and cash. Although the charter company was innocent, the financial burden caused by the seizure was simply too much and it was forced to shut down its operation. Checking baggage and passengers’ identification is an effective way to protect an operator from drug traf- fickers. While some Part 135 certifi- cate holders are required to have a TSA security program, others are not, and traffickers will take advantage of charters that have lax security. HUMAN TRAFFICKING Human trafficking is considered the third largest crime commit- ted globally, claiming 24.9 million victims according to the international organization, Human Rights First. This can be a difficult topic to discuss, Aviation Business Journal | 2nd Quarter 2018
