South African Airways Crew Freed After Drug Find

The crew of 10 women and five men, including three pilots, was held after arriving on a flight from Johannesburg on Tuesday.

The crew of a South African Airways (SAA) plane, arrested by customs officials who found cannabis and cocaine in baggage at London's Heathrow airport, was freed on Wednesday, the airline said.

The crew of 10 women and five men, including three pilots, was held after arriving on a flight from Johannesburg on Tuesday.

Officers seized 50 kg of cannabis, worth about 150,000 pounds, and four kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of 160,000 pounds, in three pieces of luggage that had arrived on the flight.

After questioning, the crew members were all released without charge.

SAA, owned by the South African government, said it was cooperating fully with the British authorities.

"The airline has also launched an investigation into this matter involving SAA Aviation Security and the SAPS (South African Police Service) Crime Intelligence Unit," SAA said in a statement.