Several former and current Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screeners were arrested and charged on Wednesday for allegedly allowing drug-filled luggage to pass through the security checkpoint at the Los Angeles International Airport in exchange for bribes, it was reported.
The screeners allegedly received as much as $2,400 to allow suitcases filled with cocaine, methamphetamines, and marijuana through security. One was arrested Tuesday night, with the other three picked up Wednesday morning, according to a statement by the office of the U.S. attorney for the Central District of California.
“The allegations in this case describe a significant breakdown of the screening system through the conduct of individuals who placed greed above the nation’s security needs,” U.S. Attorney André Birotte Jr. said in a statement.
Officials said the drug-smuggling scheme was carried out between February and July 2011. In one incident, smugglers attempted to bring more than 10 pounds of cocaine through a security checkpoint, but they went through the wrong one and their cache was seized.
LA Airport Screeners Arrested for Drug Bribery
Several former and current Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screeners were arrested and charged on Wednesday for allegedly allowing drug-filled luggage to pass through the security checkpoint.
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