An American citizen who was arrested with a loaded firearm in his luggage at Sydney International Airport earlier this year was yesterday (9 June 2022) sentenced in Central Local Court.
AFP officers were called to a security screening area of the airport in March after a worker monitoring an x-ray machine detected a suspected firearm in the 47-year-old man's carry-on baggage.
Police inspected the bag and found a loaded Ruger pistol, which they seized. The man was stopped from boarding a flight to the United States and charged with the following offences:
- Possessing an unauthorised pistol contrary to section 7(1) of the Firearms Act 1996 (NSW); and
- Carrying weapons through a screening point contrary to section 47(3) of the Aviation Transport Security Act 2004 (Cth).
He plead guilty to both charges last month and yesterday was convicted and sentenced on the first charge to a 12-month community corrections order.
On the second charge, he was sentenced to 12 month good behaviour bond with a $500 surety under section 20(1)(a) of the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth).
AFP Sydney Airport Police Commander Superintendent Matthew Parsons said the AFP worked closely with security screening staff at the airport to ensure public safety.
"This incident had the potential to have deadly consequences for other travellers and airport customers even if the weapon had been discharged accidentally," Supt Parsons said.
"The diligent work of both security screening staff and AFP officers ensures airports remain safe for the public."
