Drug dealers are replacing suitcase tags at airports: how to avoid becoming a victim of this criminal scheme

Criminals are swapping luggage tags to link unsuspecting passengers to drug trafficking operations. How to protect yourself and your luggage is explained. Travel & Leisure.

When you check your baggage at the airport, the employee attaches a barcode tag to your suitcase and typically asks two questions: "Did you pack this baggage yourself?" and "Have you had it in your possession since you packed it?" However, these questions are meaningless if, after you've checked your baggage and gone through security, the employee removes the tag from your suitcase and attaches it to another one, which contains drugs.

According to Canadian television channel CTV News, the scheme has affected at least 17 passengers on international flights departing from Canada over the past year. The most dangerous cases involve countries where drug smuggling carries the death penalty. Destinations where such incidents have been reported include Paris, the Dominican Republic, New Zealand, Germany, Bermuda, Morocco, the Philippines, and South Korea. Passengers have sometimes been handcuffed, detained, and even jailed. All victims have been released.

On the subject: Airport security agents leak passenger data to ICE, leading to the arrest of over 800 migrants.

Beyond these 17 known cases, the actual number of victims is believed to be significantly higher—many may not even know they were part of the scheme. Drug couriers are believed to hide tracking devices, such as AirTags, in suitcases containing drugs to track their movements and retrieve them upon arrival. If such a suitcase is intercepted and drugs are found, the passenger whose name is on the tag is held responsible. At best, this results in arrest; at worst, a prison sentence in a country with strict drug laws.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have arrested six baggage and ramp staff at Toronto Pearson International Airport in connection with baggage tag swapping over the past year.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants, and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York

To prove that a suitcase with your name on it doesn't belong to you, authorities recommend photographing your luggage at the airport. It's best to take a photo or video while it's being weighed at the check-in counter: the original weight information will help prove that something was added to the bag after it was checked in.

You can also put a tracker, such as an AirTag, in your suitcase to confirm the location of your actual luggage if necessary.

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