Chinese national held for in-flight theft, suspected to be part of global syndicate

Chinese national arrested for in-flight theft on Air India flight from Hong Kong to New Delhi.

A Chinese national, suspected to be a member of an organised global in-flight theft syndicate, has been arrested for allegedly stealing debit and credit cards from fellow passengers during a flight from Hong Kong to New Delhi, police said on Saturday (May 17, 2025).

The accused, 30-year-old Benlai Pan, was arrested upon arrival at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on May 14 following complaints from multiple passengers aboard Air India flight AI-315, they said in an official statement.

Pan was travelling with three other Chinese nationals — 51-year-old Meng Guangyang, 42-year-old Chang Mang, 45-year-old and Liu Jie — all of whom were detained and questioned, officials said.

According to authorities, the group is suspected to be operating together as part of an international in-flight theft racket.

"Air India's security team alerted the IGI Airport police about suspicious activities involving four Chinese nationals on the flight. One of the passengers, Prabhat Verma, who was seated at 12C, reported that a credit card had gone missing from his bag," Additional Commissioner of Police (IGI) Usha Rangnani said in an official statement.

"Verma also pointed out suspicious behaviour by a passenger seated at 14C, who was ticketed for seat 23C," the statement said.

The missing credit card was later recovered from beneath seat 14C, where Pan was found seated, she said.