Suspect linked to global syndicate targeting long-haul passengers, say police
A Chinese national has been arrested at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport in connection with a suspected in-flight theft ring operating on long-haul routes. Authorities believe the accused is part of an international syndicate that targets passengers mid-air while they sleep.
The arrest follows multiple complaints from passengers aboard Air India flight AI315 from Hong Kong to Delhi. The accused, identified as 30-year-old Benlai Pan, was detained shortly after the aircraft landed on 14 May. Three other Chinese nationals travelling with him — Meng Guangyang (51), Chang Mang (42), and Liu Jie (45) — were taken in for questioning.
Air India crew and onboard security had flagged the group’s suspicious behaviour during the flight, prompting a formal alert to the IGI Airport police. The situation escalated when a passenger, Prabhat Verma, reported his credit card missing. He also noted a discrepancy in seating: a fellow traveller was found occupying seat 14C, despite holding a boarding pass for seat 23C. Verma’s card was later discovered concealed beneath seat 14C, where Pan had been sitting.
Other passengers soon came forward. A woman named Prashi reported her mother’s debit card stolen, while another passenger, Nafeez Fatima, submitted mobile footage of Pan allegedly rummaging through overhead bins.
According to police, Pan confessed during questioning that he and his associates deliberately booked international flights with the intent to steal valuables while passengers were asleep. Their method reportedly involved switching seats, moving discreetly through the cabin, and discarding items if attempts to use them failed.
Mobile phones, wallets, and other personal effects have been seized and sent for forensic examination. Immigration officials have been notified, and further investigations are under way in coordination with embassies and international law enforcement agencies.
While Pan remains in custody, the involvement of the three others is still being investigated. Authorities are reviewing travel records, surveillance data, and reports of similar incidents on other routes.
The case has raised concerns over rising instances of organised theft aboard commercial aircraft. Aviation security officials and airlines are being urged to tighten in-flight vigilance and raise passenger awareness to counter such criminal activity.
