Hina Sani of Pakistan International Airlines was convicted after CBSA officers discovered two fake port stamps in her luggage in 2024, amid a pattern of crew disappearances linked to the airline in Canada.
A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight attendant has been found guilty of smuggling counterfeit Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) port stamps into Toronto, Canadian court proceedings have confirmed.
Hina Sani, 46, was convicted of carrying two physical counterfeit CBSA port stamps in her suitcase. The stamps, used by border officers to mark legal entry into Canada, were discovered during a secondary examination at Toronto Pearson International Airport on March 28, 2024. Sani had arrived that day on PIA flight PK-789 from Lahore.
The court ruled that prosecutors had proven the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. Sani was found guilty of smuggling under the Customs Act, possession of forgery instruments under the Criminal Code, and counterfeiting a mark. The ruling, reported in late August 2026, leaves unresolved questions about the purpose of the stamps and any wider network involved.
Pakistani Woman Convicted in Canada Over Counterfeit CBSA Stamps:
CBSA port stamps are official tools that record the date and place of a traveller’s entry. They help determine legal stay periods and can affect immigration status. Counterfeit versions could theoretically be used to fabricate or alter entry records, potentially allowing individuals to claim lawful presence or extend stays improperly. A CBSA officer testified that while the handles of the seized stamps differed from genuine ones, the raised designs and text closely resembled official stamps, including the agency name and maple leaf motif.
Canadian authorities were clear from the outset that Sani possessed physical stamps rather than stamped impressions or other people’s passports, contrary to some early reports in Pakistani media.
During the proceedings in Brampton court, Sani said she was transporting the stamps on behalf of an acquaintance. She maintained she did not know their nature or intended use. Airport security routinely warns crew and passengers against carrying items for others without inspecting them. The judge, Andrew Falls, rejected the defence and found the smuggling and related charges proven.
The court also did not establish who manufactured the stamps, who requested them, or whether they were intended for use in immigration fraud or other schemes.
PIA Crew Member Convicted Over Fake CBSA Stamps:
The case forms part of a broader pattern involving PIA cabin crew in Toronto. Over recent years, multiple flight attendants have failed to report for return flights and are believed to have sought asylum or remained in Canada. PIA has publicly acknowledged some disappearances and has taken internal steps, including suspending staff and coordinating with Canadian authorities. In this instance, reports indicated that Sani and at least two other crew members had been on a restricted list for Toronto flights but received special clearance from an airline official.
Early Pakistani media accounts incorrectly claimed Sani was carrying multiple passports belonging to other people or that drugs were found in her shoes. CBSA statements and subsequent Canadian reporting corrected the record: the primary discovery was the two counterfeit stamps. PIA confirmed awareness of the arrest and said it was in contact with Canadian officials regarding possible deportation, blacklisting, or further proceedings.
Counterfeit official border tools raise serious concerns for immigration integrity. Authorities view the smuggling of such instruments as a threat to border controls. The case underscores the risks airline crew face when transporting undeclared items across international borders and highlights ongoing scrutiny of PIA operations on the Canada route.
Sani’s conviction closes one chapter of the 2024 incident but leaves open the larger questions of how the stamps reached her suitcase and whether others were involved. Canadian investigators have not publicly detailed any further related probes.