London, England – British police are conducting a preliminary assessment of whether the late American financier Jeffrey Epstein used two London airports to traffic women on private flights. This is part of a coordinated national effort to examine his connections within Britain. Epstein was previously convicted of sex crimes in the United States.
Review information about private flights
Police in Essex and Bedfordshire have announced they are reviewing information related to private flights linked to Epstein. This follows the release of millions of new documents by the US government at the end of January.
Essex Police said they are examining information about flights to and from Stansted Airport, northeast of London. Bedfordshire Police confirmed they are assessing flights connected to Luton Airport, northwest of the capital.
Authorities clarified that this is currently an assessment of information, not a full-fledged criminal investigation.
National coordination and analysis of documents
This follows the formation of a national coordination group to support police forces working independently to review Epstein’s links to Britain or British citizens. The National Police Chiefs’ Council confirmed that this collaborative work will continue. The aim is to assess whether the newly released documents have any potential implications that would warrant further action.
The BBC reported last year that incomplete flight records showed 87 flights linked to Epstein departing from British airports between the early 1990s and 2018. These flights included the inclusion of unidentified female passengers on the passenger manifests.
References to visas and documents
The leaked documents contain frequent references to Stansted Airport, including discussions about the possibility of diverting a flight for a Russian woman with a US visa through the airport. There are also dozens of references to UK visas.
For its part, Stansted Airport confirmed in a statement that private flights do not operate through the main terminal. It also clarified that UK Border Force is responsible for immigration and customs procedures.
political repercussions
The Epstein affair has had political repercussions in Britain, with two police forces investigating allegations involving Peter Mandelson, the former British ambassador to the United States, and Prince Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles. These investigations concern allegations of misconduct during their time in public office, according to media reports.
Both men have denied any wrongdoing and expressed regret for their past association with Epstein. They have not commented further since the latest documents were published.
British police confirm that the review of the documents is ongoing and that any further steps will be determined based on the results of this assessment.
