5 remanded in Istanbul for aiding ex-Nissan CEO’s escape

ISTANBUL

Five suspects were remanded into custody in Istanbul Friday over aiding the escape of ex-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn from Japan to Lebanon, according to judicial sources.

The suspects were accused of “human trafficking.”

On Thursday, seven people including four pilots, two employees for a private ground service company and one company executive were arrested.

The arrests came after Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation into Ghosn's escape to the Lebanese capital of Beirut via Istanbul's Ataturk Airport, after skipping bail in Japan.

As part of the investigation, the flights of two private jets from the Japanese city of Osaka to Ataturk Airport and then Beirut were investigated.

One of the jets, which took off from Osaka, landed at Ataturk Airport at 05.15 a.m. local time (0215GMT) on Dec. 29, while the other jet Bombardier Challenger 300 took off from Ataturk Airport for Beirut at 06.00 a.m. local time (0300GMT) on Dec. 30.