A man has been arrested after allegedly attempting to smuggle a disassembled shotgun and ammunition in his luggage while trying to board a flight from Australia to Lebanon.
Police were called to Sydney Airport on December 28 after a security worker monitoring an X-ray machine allegedly identified suspicious items in the man’s checked baggage.
Australian Federal Police inspected the luggage and allegedly found parts of a disassembled shotgun and ammunition, which officers will allege were not registered to him.
The 39-year-old man was subsequently stopped from boarding his flight to the Lebanon, in the Middle East, and questioned over the weapon, which was seized by police.
A man was arrested at Sydney Airport after he was allegedly found with a disassembled shotgun in his luggage. Picture: NewsWire / David Swift
The man was charged and refused bail to first appear before court on December 29 on one count of trafficking prohibited firearms or firearm parts out of Australia.
He is expected to reappear before court on Tuesday.
If found guilty and convicted, the man faces a maximum possible penalty of 20 years in prison.
AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Dom Stephenson said the AFP worked closely with the aviation industry and other partners to prevent illegal activity through airports and keep travellers safe.
“There was allegedly an initial claim that the weapon was a ‘drenching gun’ used for agricultural farming. However, the AFP subsequently determined the weapon was a shotgun broken down into two parts. This is a serious weapon with the potential to cause real harm,” Superintendent Stephenson said.
“Security screening staff at the airport were vigilant and, along with AFP officers, acted quickly to ensure the safety of the travelling public and stop weapons being taken offshore.”