Cases of bullets being carried on flights increasing

This year, till October there were 35 cases of passengers carrying bullets

Eyebrows are being raised over rising instances of bullets being carried onboard flights. Until October 2015, 35 cases of carrying bullets onboard have come to light while in the corresponding period last year only 25 cases came to the fore. This year, both domestic and international passengers were caught carrying bullets. More worryingly, of the 35 cases, 11 were arriving passengers.

According to a senior officer from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), “Despite having all proper checks and frisking, how these passengers travelled onboard is a matter of concern and agencies are thinking over it.” Security officials also fear that increasing instances of ferrying bullets may be an indication of bullet smuggling.

Surprisingly, of the 35 cases, investigation was called into only 17 cases with just seven of these registered under the Arms Act. Commenting on it, a senior police official from Sahar police station said, “In most cases, the person caught with ammunition wasn’t aware about the fact that you cannot carry bullets without a licence and licence for bullets applies only in the state where it was issued. Carrying bullets in other places is illegal.”

Another source said that on September 7 during inline baggage screening at level 2 of the international airport, MIAL security personnel noticed the image of arms in the baggage of one Shyiad who was supposed to fly to Nairobi by a Kenyan Airways flight. When officials manually checked the baggage, they found an air gun from the passenger’s bag for which he had no licence. A senior police officer said, “In a few cases, passengers were caught because they were carrying ammunition with them without any licence but when we questioned them, they called their family and told them to send us the licence via email. So no case was registered in those instances.”

Sources said that in the seizures made this year, a total of 165 bullets were seized. Out of 35 cases, 21 were intercepted by MIAL security personnel while screening baggage and 14 were detected by security personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). In January, three live bullets were seized from the baggage of a Jet Airways staff. On questioning, he revealed that he was a sportsperson and had the ID of National Rifles Association. Similarly, in July, a DSP of Datiya, Madhya Pradesh, was caught with three live bullets of 315 bore rifle. On January 5, 2015, Sri Lankan Army personnel was detained in such a case. An ex-MLA, before flying to Thiruvananthapuram, had to return his PA home to send back the bullet he was carrying in his bag.

According to a senior official from the safety department, “Though it is illegal, the saving grace is no one was carrying any weapon to fire the bullets. And our security is always alert.”