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Rogue and baggage: BIA becoming a den of thieves
More and more Sri Lankans returning from travel abroad are falling victim to theft of their baggage by unscrupulous porters and baggage handlers. Whilst Police have acted on a few recent instances, some passengers say they fear to complain because those allegedly involved are supporters of politicians in the area. For the same reason, airport authorities are also hesitant to effectively curb thieving or deal with those involved.
Such inaction on the part of high officials, the Sunday Times learns, has emboldened the culprits to target more and more passengers, especially migrant workers returning in budget airlines from Dubai and other West Asian countries. However, the BIA police unit says it acts on complaints and produces suspects in courts. Following a complaint last week by a migrant worker who alleged cash and gold jewellery worth Rs. 241,000 had been stolen from her bags while they were being taken from the aircraft to the conveyor belt at the airport, the police questioned two suspects. One of them is absconding arrest, while the other was produced before a magistrate and remanded.
Acting on another complaint by a migrant worker returning from Dubai on July 7, the police arrested two suspects for allegedly stealing a mobile phone worth Rs. 95,000 from her bag. The suspects have been remanded. On April 29, a passenger returning from Dubai complained to the police regarding a missing credit card and mobile phone worth Rs. 71,500. Four baggage handlers were arrested. Police said the suspects had admitted to stealing the items while they were unloading the luggage to the conveyor belt.
According to detectives, the culprits target bags which passengers could not carry with them as hand luggage. They are forced to hand over such bulky or overweight bags to airline officials at the check-in counter to be sent as normal baggage. The airline officials use a simple device to tie the bags. It is these bags that become vulnerable to thefts at many airports.
However, the arrest of luggage handlers has resulted in an unofficial go-slow campaign by fellow employees. They take their own time to load and unload luggage, the Sunday Times learns. Foreign Employment Bureau Deputy General Manager R. K. K. M. P. Randeniya said they would take steps to educate migrant workers on measures to safeguard their belongings. He said the bureau office located at the airport would work together with police and airport officials to safeguard interests of migrant workers.