A massive luggage scandal at Canadian airports. Drug smuggling in the background

An investigative report by W5 and CTV News revealed that the practice of so-called “bag-tag switching” was mainly operating at Toronto Airport, but also involved other Canadian airports. The scheme involved an employee with access to the operational area removing the tag containing the checked-in passenger’s details and attaching it to another suitcase containing drugs. In the event of a bust, suspicion and legal liability fell on the owner of the details on the tag.

Over the past year, at least 17 cases of innocent travellers being detained have been identified following flights from Canada to destinations including the Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Morocco, South Korea and the Philippines. In some of these countries, smuggling carries the death penalty. One of the most high-profile cases involved a Toronto woman who was removed from a flight in Vancouver after 20 kg of methamphetamine was found in suitcases attributed to her. The woman was cleared of the charges only after CCTV analysis showed that the luggage had not been checked in by her during check-in.

Hidden GPS trackers and AirTags, used by smugglers to track the cargo, were discovered in the seized evidence. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have already arrested six ground handling staff in Toronto. The report revealed serious security gaps at the airport: blind spots in CCTV coverage, a lack of personal checks on staff leaving work, and the ability to move freely within the operational area. Experts point out that the internal threat posed by staff remains one of the biggest vulnerabilities in civil aviation since security measures were tightened following 9/11. The ability to freely bring illegal items into restricted areas also raises questions about potential terrorist threats. In response to these reports, the Canadian federal transport authority has announced an urgent review of security procedures. Passengers are currently advised to photograph their luggage along with the tag at check-in, to keep their baggage receipt at all times, and to use their own tracking devices.