Air Tahiti Nui, the airline serving Tahiti from the United States, Australia and Japan, has suspended nearly 20 percent of their workforce amid a police investigation involving drug smuggling from the United States.
At the center of the investigation, 30 employees who are accused of helping smuggle in drugs, including hauls of marijuana, ecstasy and cocaine allegedly picked up by cabin crew on stopovers in the United States.
Air Tahiti's Australian regional director Craig Lee said, "We can assure all our passengers that this will not disrupt any of our flights or flight operations."
However, the two unions representing Air Tahiti Nui staff have threatened to go on strike after the airline management used an abusive procedure against the employees under investigation.
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