Recent drug busts stemming from Arizona airports expose potential problems
MESA, Ariz. - Narcotics are coming through Arizona airports.
Two recent busts have happened in the last two weeks, with one at Phoenix Sky Harbor and another in California after the plane took off from Falcon Field in Mesa.
General aviation airports, like Falcon Field in Mesa, are not monitored by the Transportation Security Administration. Rather, it’s up to individual pilots to know what is being moved on their plane.
"It's their personal aircraft, they know exactly what's on board," said Jessica Alonzo, communications specialist at Falcon Field Airport. "And they must do a preflight inspection. It's kind of on their own accounts."
The single-engine 4-seat plane with tail number N1711T, spent four hours at Falcon Field in Mesa on Wednesday, September 25th before it took off and headed back to Oceanside, California.
It was forced to make an emergency landing before 2:00 a.m. on a California highway.
California law enforcement found two pounds of cocaine on the plane and 21-year-old Gabriel Breit and 36-year-old Troy Smith were arrested on suspicion of illegal narcotic transportation.
It’s still unclear what happened those four hours the plane was in Arizona but regional airports like Falcon Field are not responsible for what’s transported.
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"We’re only providing ground operations," Alonzo said.
Runways are open 24/7 at Falcon Field with monitored access.
"Access here on the airfield would require a gate access badge," Alonzo added.
That access is for employees, tenants that rent aviation spaces and businesses that operate at Falcon Field.
"These pilots are private pilots. So, they would know exactly what they have on board. Just like your personal vehicle. It's on their own account," Alonzo said.
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The owner of the plane said he’s rented his aircraft out through San Diego-based, Flying Club Plus One Flyers since February.
The 35-year-old aviator says he was shocked to learn what happened.
"[In] general aviation, there is no TSA. So anything would have to do with Homeland Security," Alonzo said.
There are still a lot of questions as to where the cocaine came from and how it was loaded onto this plane that took off from Falcon Field.
We reached out to the Drug Enforcement Administration on their involvement in this investigation and we are still waiting to hear back.
This was the second time in September that we know of, that drugs came through a Valley airport.
Earlier this week, 50,000 fentanyl pills were found vacuum sealed in a woman’s luggage traveling through Sky Harbor.