UPDATE: JFK Passenger Detained In Cairo For Weapons

If you're traveling with numerous weapons, should you just assume you'll be questioned? The AP reports that an American-Egyptian man who arrived in Cairo from New York was detained "as he tried to pass through customs with a metal box containing two 9 mm handguns, 250 bullets, several swords, daggers and knives. They say customs officials had been alerted after the weapons were discovered when the box was examined upon arrival Wednesday on an Egypt Air flight from New York's JFK International Airport in Cairo."

Update: AFP identifies the passenger as Mohamed Ibrahim Marei, "a US university professor of Egyptian origin," and gives a few more details: "Customs officials noticed the passenger looked nervous and decided to open his luggage. They found two handguns and 250 bullets hidden in metal boxes, the official said on condition of anonymity. In a secret compartment in the bag, authorities also found two swords, five daggers and six knives, he added." It's still unclear whether the luggage was checked in, but that sounds like a lot to carry on. Also: secret compartment!

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By Jen Chung in News on May 12, 2010 10:41 AM

Comments [rss]

hotstepper

bitches, i never leave home without my 9.

valeriob

Just Fucking Kidding (about security)

youngpro

btw, if you didnt read the field day felix had yesterday, you should read the 'top comments' posts above, starting with the Continental flight. oh, also, i exposed his ass after he tried to friend 'me' on FB/

youngpro

and he still thinks you're me/i'm you.

valeriob

Fine job, sir. Poor kid.

whitecastlerock

thank you for exposing this retard... I applaud your efforts. Now if only Gothamist would ban Felixtheslushfund

smacky

What a nutjob

Jen Chung

Customs is after you pick up your checked luggage, so it's possible these were in checked bags. Let's see if more details come out.

youngpro

agreed.

alysonwonderland

Also agreed. We need to wait for the complete story; UK media is saying vague things like "it's unclear which NY airport the passenger arrived from" while all our reports say JFK. As for the customs issue, the updated articles are starting to hint at the fact that the guns were checked/declared but the issue is with Egypt not allowing them:

msnbc:

"The box had been checked..."

"The U.S. Transportation Security Administration confirmed the man had two firearms in the suitcase and ammunition.The agency said in a statement Wednesday that transporting firearms in checked baggage within the U.S. is permitted if declared to the airline, but noted that other countries have different laws on the transportation and possession of firearms."

Reuters:

"It is illegal to import weapons into Egypt without a permit."

Splicer

Were these undeclared items or did he go through whatever process is required to transport these items?

LESh8r

im confused...so he got on a plane at JFK with a box full of weapons that was undetected? are you fng kidding me?

Kreo

I thought you were allowed to fly with weapons, ammo and guns in separate lockers, declared, and put in cargo (not carry on).

Papercutninja

you can, it just has to be declared.

youngpro

has to be declared, which is probably what he did, so i'm not sure what the big deal is. no one in the article made mention of the Declaration.