Swiss man arrested with gun at Phuket airport

PHUKET: An 82-year-old Swiss man has been arrested at Phuket international airport after a handgun was found hidden in his luggage.
Aiyanah Pa-ngo, an X-ray screener at the airport, noticed a suspicious object resembling a firearm during a routine scan prior to an outbound flight on Monday night. She reported it to her superior and sent the bag to a luggage room at Gate 81 for a thorough search.
The search found a short-barrel Astra-Cal 6.35 a25 handgun inside the bag, said Pol Capt Kornphumpot Phongphaiboon, deputy investigation chief at the Sakhu police station.
The bag belonged to Kurt Fritz Loliger, 82. He was subsequently arrested.
During questioning, the Swiss man reportedly told police that he thought bringing a gun with no ammunition or magazine onboard a flight was not prohibited. He had decided to bring it to his home country because he thought it was not against the law, police said.
Police have charged him with illegal possession of a firearm.