Rabat – Police in the UK are reviewing information about private flights connected to convicted sex offender and trafficker Jeffrey Epstein that traveled through Stansted Airport, following the recent release of files by the US Department of Justice.
Essex Police said it is “assessing” details about private jets that arrived at or departed from Stansted, which is located about 64 kilometers northeast of London. However, officials did not say they are launching a full criminal investigation.
A BBC investigation last year found that 87 flights linked to Epstein traveled to or from UK airports between the early 1990s and 2018. BBC News also reported in December that three British women who were allegedly trafficked appeared in Epstein’s flight records involving trips to and from the UK.
Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown recently called for police to urgently re-examine whether victims were trafficked within the UK or brought into the country. Writing in the New Statesman, Brown said the scale of trafficking could become clearer if authorities fully investigated the flights. He sent letters to police leaders in Essex, London, and Thames Valley.
Stansted Airport said private aircraft operate through independent companies known as Fixed Base Operators. The airport said private jet passengers do not pass through the main terminal and that immigration and customs checks are handled directly by Border Force.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council said a new national group has been formed to support UK police forces reviewing allegations connected to the Epstein files.
Meanwhile, Thames Valley Police is assessing claims that a second woman was sent to the UK by Epstein for a sexual encounter with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. The former prince has denied any wrongdoing.
The Metropolitan Police has also launched a criminal investigation into diplomat Peter Mandelson over allegations that he shared sensitive information with Epstein. Mandelson has denied acting illegally and said he was not motivated by financial gain.
Several other UK police forces, including those in Norfolk and Scotland, said they are reviewing documents but have not launched investigations at this time.