Former BA employee ‘ran £3m immigration scam from Heathrow check-in desk’

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A former British Airways employee has been accused of working a £3 million immigration scam from a Heathrow check-in desk, earlier than absconding to India after being bailed by the police.

The 24-year-old suspect is claimed to have charged folks £25,000 to wave them by Terminal 5 and onto planes heading in the direction of Canada with out legitimate visa paperwork.

The majority of his alleged prospects have been Indian residents, who have been allegedly advised to fly to the UK on a short lived customer visa.

After this, they’d guide flights to Canada with no visa, regardless of this being a requirement for Indian passport holders, who aren’t eligible underneath the nation’s digital journey authorisation scheme.

Other travellers who benefitted have been additionally UK-based asylum claimants who have been prone to being denied the correct to stay and confronted deportation, the Times reported.

The suspect, who was employed as a BA check-in supervisor, would allegedly direct his prospects to his desk and override the system, confirming that he had seen proof of a visa.

It can also be claimed he would course of passengers on the boarding gate, with these passengers instantly claiming asylum upon arrival in Canada.

Suspicions have been raised by officers after a sample emerged that confirmed prospects on BA flights to Vancouver or Toronto arriving with no visa.

The man was arrested on 6 January and bailed earlier than absconding to India along with his associate, who additionally labored for the airline, the Times reported.

British Airways confirmed it’s helping the authorities with their investigation, and the UK Border Force and Metropolitan Police are liaising with their Indian counterparts.

A Home Office spokesperson stated: “It would be inappropriate to comment while an investigation is ongoing.”

The Independent has reached out to Interpol and Delhi Police for remark.