Spanish police arrest 14 Tenerife airport employees after items of luggage disappear outside

At Tenerife South Airport, Spanish police arrested fourteen employees who allegedly stole items from checked baggage. Police reportedly confiscated stolen items worth around €2 million, including around €13,000 in cash. An investigation into the role of 20 other airport employees is still ongoing.

Tenerife South Airport serves about 11 million passengers annually, most of them European tourists seeking the islands’ pleasant climate.

The police said in a statement that the investigation began after passengers complained about missing items from their luggage.

The thefts occurred when the luggage was placed in the plane’s hold. In the ward, the alleged thieves took out the bags, took out valuables and then closed them again, leaving no trace.

The police seized 29 luxury watches, 120 pieces of jewelry, 22 expensive mobile phones and various electronic devices. Police suspect the suspects sold many of the items online or at local stores.

“We conducted several searches, both in the lockers of airport employees and in their private cars and homes,” the police said. “The members of this criminal gang were perfectly organised, and their jobs were defined in a hierarchical manner.”