UK Arrests 1 After Raids Over Fake Parts For Best-Selling Plane Engine

Britain’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) on Wednesday raided an address and arrested one person as part of a probe into an aircraft parts supplier that serviced several major airlines.

Investigators are looking into UK-based AOG Technics Ltd, which has supplied parts for the world’s best-selling passenger aircraft engine (CFM56) and most-used cargo aircraft engine (CF6) since 2015.

The parts, which investigators believe may have been non-certified, were mostly sold to overseas companies that install airline parts, and to UK airlines, maintenance providers and parts suppliers, the SFO said in a statement.

Aviation authorities in the UK, Europe and the United States have issued alerts to businesses who may have bought or installed AOG’s parts, resulting in some planes being grounded.

“This investigation deals with very serious allegations of fraud involving the supply of aircraft parts, the consequences of which are potentially far reaching,” said Nick Ephgrave, director of the SFO.

“The SFO is best placed to take this investigation forward vigorously and we are determined to establish the facts as swiftly as possible,” he added.

CFM56 engines are used on the previous generation of the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 aircraft.

Airlines affected include Ryanair, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Virgin Australia Airlines.