A senator from the US state of Washington was arrested on Friday night at Hong Kong International Airport over a gun in his carry-on bag, his office said.
Jeff Wilson, a Republican from the city of Longview, was charged with possession of an unregistered firearm after he arrived in the Chinese territory with an unloaded pistol, his office said in a statement.
He was released on Sunday on bail and faces a hearing on Monday next week.
Photo grab from Wilson’s website
Wilson traveled from Portland International Airport, with a layover in San Francisco, for a five-week vacation in Southeast Asia with his wife, the statement said, adding that baggage screens in the US did not detect the weapon.
Wilson discovered the firearm on his way to Hong Kong and informed customs officials right after he landed, it said.
“It was an honest mistake, and I expect the situation to be resolved shortly,” Wilson said in the statement.
He also denied reports that the weapon was discovered during a bag check, saying he “immediately went to customs officials and called their attention to the issue” upon landing.
Previously, Hong Kong media reported that he was detained after a baggage screener found a gun in his belongings.
Firearms are a growing concern at US airports, where authorities intercepted almost 20 guns a day at security checkpoints during the third quarter. The number is on record pace again this year, as looser restrictions make gun carriage more commonplace. Americans are allowed to travel with firearms in checked luggage, but bringing them into the cabin, as with carry-on baggage, is illegal.
In Hong Kong, firearms are strictly regulated, with few, mainly police and private security contractors, allowed to carry guns. The maximum penalty for possessing arms without a license is 14 years in prison and a fine of HK$100,000 (US$12,784).
Wilson said that while his pistol was not registered in Hong Kong, it is properly registered in Washington state, where he holds a concealed pistol license, the statement said.
Wilson said he found his gun mid-flight from San Francisco to Hong Kong when he reached into his briefcase for a piece of gum.
A spokesperson for the US Transportation Security Administration declined to immediately comment and said it would have a response later yesterday.
Wilson, a port commissioner in Longview, had planned to meet with counterparts at the port of Shanghai, in addition to traveling to Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia. He said he hoped to resume his itinerary when the case is resolved.
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