Operation Latin Phoenix (2003)

On April 23, 1995 at the airport of Olbia in Sardegna, Italy hundreds of aircraft components were stolen by a gang of armed thieves from the hangars of the airline Meridiana. The gang was arrested shortly later and the parts transferred to the insurance company Generali who already did reimburse Meridiana for the loss encountered. The insurance sold the parts to an entrepreneur in Rome. This triggered the attention of the state prosecutor in Sardengna and the Italian fiscal police. When they raided the company's offices at Rome the police officers found numerous sensitive aircraft parts that were illegally reworked and prepared for shipment to renown customers world wide. They also found evidence for the involvement of a US company and a questionable transaction involving 6 Airbus A30o aircraft previously owned by national carrier Alitalia. The film follows the two year long investigation that was codenamed "operation Latin Phoenix" and shows disturbing insides into an industry that normally pretend s that safety is their number one priority.