Police suspend 300 passes after arrest of two women over ‘security scam` at Heathrow airport

Terror-linked security concerns have been raised at Europe`s busiest airport over claims of a plot to sell airside security passes.

The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has confirmed it is investigating allegations of fraud involving staff passes for restricted areas at Heathrow.

Three hundred staff working for Sodexo, which supplies airline lounge services, have reportedly had their passes suspended. Those affected as said to mostly work as cleaners or caterers.

Two women, aged 24 and 20 and both from Surrey, have been arrested on suspicion of money laundering. The pair, thought to be airport employees, have been bailed until November.

Warnings have been sounded over the potential devastating consequences if airside passes fell into the wrong hands.

Negligent airside security is thought to have allowed terrorists to put a bomb on a Russian passenger flight that blew up, killing all 224 on board, shortly after taking off from Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt last year.

Raffaello Pantucci, from the Royal United Services Institute, said: “It is quite worrying as any lapse in airport security can present a major risk.

“The last big terror attack in aviation was the Russian Metrojet flight brought down over Sinai by a bomb, and those responsible had help from the inside at the airport.

“So there`s always concern someone may want a pass to try to smuggle a bomb on the plane.”

Kevin Hurley, former Surrey police and crime commissioner and head of counter terrorism at the City of London Police, argued: “It could be used to get close up to some of the high-value cargo areas and of course we have already had the Brinks Mat saga here once before. Billions go through this airport every year.”

But he added: “The real issue is the threat in terms of airport security; this is a potential serious breach for Heathrow Airport.”

The London travel terminus, which handled 75 million passengers last year, refused to say what type of passes are involved or how many staff use them.

But reports suggest Heathrow has around 70,000 employees, with recipients of passes including flight crews, baggage handlers, shop and restaurant staff, hanger and ramp workers, cargo and security employees.

A spokesperson for the MPS said two women had been arrested “in relation to an allegation that money has been fraudulently taken from a bank account”, adding:

“Other matters have come to light during the enquiries and form part of the ongoing investigation.”

Officers also searched a residential address in Surrey as part of their enquiries.

A Heathrow spokesperson said that it can not comment on the specifics of an ongoing police investigation.

They added: “Our top priority is the security and safety of our passengers and colleagues and we have taken appropriate action until the investigation is completed.’

The Department for Transport said: “We are aware of this issue. Safety and security of passengers is our priority.

“We keep aviation security under constant review, but as this matter is the subject of an ongoing police investigation we are unable to comment further at this time.”