The Hindu : Front Page : Air pistols seized at freight station

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 10, 2007
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Air pistols seized at freight station

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: A routine Customs check at a private freight station on Willingdon Island unearthed air pistols and rifles, imported under the guise of light furniture, on Tuesday, Customs Additional Commissioner Rema Mathew said.

She said the consignment had 810 packages, of which 37 had been opened. No one had been arrested.

Searches are continuing. So far, 13 small guns and 15 rifles have been traced. The weapons are foreign-made.

It is understood that these guns, which are carbon-dioxide-powered, may be for training purposes. Copies of the Koran were found inside the packages. There are no restrictions in bringing them through the proper channel. This has made the investigating agencies suspicious. The weapons belong to the `restricted category.' The consignment originated from Dubai. Ananta Pai of Premier Exports, the clearing agent for the consignment, was taken into custody.

The Navy, the police, the Central Bureau of Investigation and other Central intelligence agencies are involved in the investigation.

In a press release here, Tissin Thachankary, chairman of the freight station Asian Terminals, said the air pistols were found hidden among material that was declared as `light furniture' and `slippers.' The consignment was imported in the name of Koya Haji from Chettupuzha under the licence of Premier Exports.

Neither the chairman nor any of the employees of Asian Terminals were in any way related to the consignment, the release said.

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