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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40026355/ns/travel-news?GT1=43001
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — A young airline passenger who disguised himself as an elderly man was intercepted after emerging from a toilet mid-flight without his silicone mask, according to reports.
Officials were notified of a "possible imposter" on an Air Canada flight originating from Hong Kong on Oct. 29. After arriving in Vancouver, the man was escorted off the flight and he subsequently made a claim for refugee protection.
According to an intelligence alert issued by the Canada Border Services Agency, officers later recovered a "disguise kit" — which included "a silicone-type head and neck mask of an elderly Caucasian male, a brown leather cap, glasses and a thin brown cardigan."
The statement described the case as an "unbelievable case of concealment."
"The passenger in question was observed at the beginning of the flight to be an elderly Caucasian male who appeared to have young looking hands," the bulletin added. "During the flight the subject attended the washroom and emerged an Asian male that appeared to be in his early 20s."
After being detained at the airport, officials asked the passenger to put on the clothing and mask found in one of three pieces of luggage linked to him.
"The subject donned the 'disguise' for Border Services Officers and they noted that he very much resembled an elderly Caucasian man, complete with mimicking the movements of an elderly person," the alert added. "The subject admitted at this time that he had boarded the flight with the mask on and had removed it several hours later."
The statement said the young Asian man had swapped boarding passes with a 55-year-old U.S. citizen before getting on the plane. He had later used a frequent flier card as ID to board the flight, the alert added.
"As neither boarding passes nor Aeroplan (frequent flier) cards reflect dates of birth, it may not have been very difficult for the very elderly looking imposter to present himself as a 55-year-old man," the bulletin said.
A CBSA official told the CBC that the man had been detained and was due to appear before an Immigration and Refugee Board hearing. His name and nationality have not been released.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — A young airline passenger who disguised himself as an elderly man was intercepted after emerging from a toilet mid-flight without his silicone mask, according to reports.
Officials were notified of a "possible imposter" on an Air Canada flight originating from Hong Kong on Oct. 29. After arriving in Vancouver, the man was escorted off the flight and he subsequently made a claim for refugee protection.
According to an intelligence alert issued by the Canada Border Services Agency, officers later recovered a "disguise kit" — which included "a silicone-type head and neck mask of an elderly Caucasian male, a brown leather cap, glasses and a thin brown cardigan."
The statement described the case as an "unbelievable case of concealment."
"The passenger in question was observed at the beginning of the flight to be an elderly Caucasian male who appeared to have young looking hands," the bulletin added. "During the flight the subject attended the washroom and emerged an Asian male that appeared to be in his early 20s."
After being detained at the airport, officials asked the passenger to put on the clothing and mask found in one of three pieces of luggage linked to him.
"The subject donned the 'disguise' for Border Services Officers and they noted that he very much resembled an elderly Caucasian man, complete with mimicking the movements of an elderly person," the alert added. "The subject admitted at this time that he had boarded the flight with the mask on and had removed it several hours later."
The statement said the young Asian man had swapped boarding passes with a 55-year-old U.S. citizen before getting on the plane. He had later used a frequent flier card as ID to board the flight, the alert added.
"As neither boarding passes nor Aeroplan (frequent flier) cards reflect dates of birth, it may not have been very difficult for the very elderly looking imposter to present himself as a 55-year-old man," the bulletin said.
A CBSA official told the CBC that the man had been detained and was due to appear before an Immigration and Refugee Board hearing. His name and nationality have not been released.
