Posted on 12/11/2023 1:36:11 PM PST by algore
A Russian man flew from Europe to LAX without a passport, visa or plane ticket last month, and officials have no idea how he did it. Neither, it seems, does the man himself.
Sergey Vladimirovich Ochigava faces a charge of being a stowaway on an aircraft related to a Nov. 4 flight, but according to a report by Jason Koebler published jointly by 404 Media and Court Watch, he “was not a stowaway in the traditional sense.”
“[Ochigava] seemingly interacted with flight crew, ate two meals on the plane, spoke to other passengers on the flight, and, at one point ‘attempted to eat the chocolate that belonged to members of the cabin crew,’ Koebler wrote. “The affidavit states that ‘most’ of the crew noticed him on the plane, and said he was sitting in a few different seats, but that nothing else seemed amiss.”
His iPhone contained a picture of the flight board at Copenhagen’s airport and “screen grabs from the ‘Maps’ app showing a hostel in Kiel, Germany, and street maps from an unknown foreign city,” FBI agent Caroline Walling wrote in an affadavit.
He did have some identification, however.
“A search of his bags found ‘Russian identification cards and an Israeli identification card,’ as well as ‘a partial photograph of a passport,'” Koebler wrote.
Perhaps the most confounding part of the saga is that Ochigava seemingly had no inkling anything was amiss until he arrived in the U.S. and tried to pass an examination by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
At first, Ochigava told CBP officials that he left his passport on the plane, but no document was found. Further complicating matters, Ochigava wasn’t in the CBP system at all, something “the CBP officer had never encountered,” Walling wrote.
Ochigava didn’t even remember how he got to Copenhagen in the first place or what he was doing there.
“Ochigava claimed he had not been sleeping for three days and did not understand what was going on. Ochigava stated he might have had a plane ticket to come to the United States, but he was not sure … When asked how he got through security in Copenhagen, Ochigava claimed he did not remember how he went through security without a ticket,” Walling wrote.
At this point, it seems only one thing is known for sure.
“Everyone involved is very confused,” Koebler wrote.
The usual way to distinguish these folks is to roll up their sleeve and look at their forearm. Typically it is blue, from the blue fluid in the lavatory toilets.
For a long time it was typical for asylum seekers to show up at the Customs desk of major US international airports with no documents. They used forged documents to get on the plane and then shredded and flushed them down the crapper during the flight. Hence the blue stains, which evidently are hard to wash off.
Very nasty job - but that is where I would look for his documents.
Man was possibly in a vodka black out?
Sounds like an old scam. Back in the 1990s during the first gulf war I was assign to the international terminal at Oakland Airport to enhance security.
Every day we would have anywhere between 15 and 30 people get off flights with no passports or visas and claim asylum. I inquired how this was possible as you must have both to board an international flight.
The inspectors informed me that the aliens would board the flight with a valid passport and a counterfeit US visa. In flight they would destroy both and tearing them up and putting them down the crapper.
They did this because possession of a counterfeit US visa is a felony. The were all from Pakistan and it was during the first gulf war. I was there for 3 months and this happened every day.
They were all granted “Deferred Inspection” and walked out the door onto the street.
I understand from agents stationed around the country that this was happening at every international airport across the country and had been going on for years.
Even right after 9-11 the US government treated national security as a joke. They still do.
“Testing the system.”
It took 20 posts but your post is closest to what I was thinking.
After landing at LAX, Ochigava looked at his surroundings and said; “Oh Shitsky. Get me back to Moscow.”
He should have flown into Mexico and strolled across the border.
He’s have been treated like royalty then.
Scam
There’s no way you get on a US bound plane in Europe without going through TSA level security.
He’s pretending to be confused, old gambit
The problem is that Ochigava is white.
And they’re never punished for it, but rewarded!
Let’s not give them any ideas now!
Well now, that’s quite the reveal. So open borders isn’t exactly a new thing.
I’ve read that that kind of thing happens pretty frequently with those who want to illegally enter another country. Before they arrive in the destination country they destroy any ID they might have to make repatriation more difficult. It’s unlikely that he was allowed on the plane without a passport...he probably flushed everything he had on the plane.
That was my thought - a dry run of some sort.
Don’t miss usurper’s #23.
I see what you didn’t do there, and I believe that your inaction and inability deserves imitation.
Thanks!
“A search of his bags found ‘Russian identification cards...”
Probably here to join the Trump Campaign.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.