BRITISH authorities have refuted an SA Airways claim that 15 of its flight crew members have been cleared of wrongdoing relating to 50kg of cocaine found in the baggage of one of them at London’s Heathrow Airport in February reports the Times of SA.

A spokesman for UK Revenue and Customs, Lisa Billard, yesterday told The Times that SAA had incorrectly stated that the charges had been dropped .

“Charges could not be dropped because we did not charge them in the first place. When the 15 were arrested, in February, they were released on bail and were expected to be charged at a later stage.”

Twelve cabin staff and three cockpit crew, who arrived in London on flight SA234 from Johannesburg, were taken into custody when cocaine, with an estimated street value of £250000 (R3.6-million), was found in a vanity case belonging to a female crew member.

The arrests came a month after other SAA crew members were held when British authorities found cocaine and dagga in their luggage.

Billard said that the 15 were told that they could return to South Africa while investigations continued, but they had to return to London in June to “answer to bail”.

The 15 crew members had been expected to answer to bail yesterday and today, but British authorities recently told them that they were no longer required to return to London.

“Usually when a person comes to answer to bail, he or she is charged or a date is set for the next appearance but, in this case, we have not set another date and we have not charged them.

“What we are saying is that the investigation is continuing and a new court date has not been given ,” Billard said.

By Special correspondent