The Hindu Business Line : Arms haul at Kochi port

The guns, which can be used for training purposes, are restricted in India. The air pistols are exact replicas of real weapons and many countries have banned them.

Kochi , Jan. 10

The Kochi Customs has seized around 810 boxes containing air guns and pistols from an imported container kept for customs clearance at Asian Terminals, a private container freight station at Willingdon Island on Tuesday.

The consignment was sent from Dubai by a private firm and the container was brought into the godown in the first week of January. The consignment, which included gas powered 86 air rifles and around 30 toy-cum-real pistols, was brought under the guise of light furniture.

The Customs officials searched the boxes throughout last night, which contained a variety of goods ranging from plastic furniture, computer tables, ceiling fans etc. The last port of call of the ship that carried the goods was Jebel Ali in Dubai.

Copies of the Koran were found in packages containing the guns, which come under the category of air pistols and air guns, which are restricted in India. Arms experts have examined the weapons, which can be used for training purposes. World majors in making of guns manufactured the arms seized in Kochi. The air pistols are exact replicas of real weapons and many countries have banned them.

A representative of Premier Exports was taken into custody for interrogation. The Intelligence Bureau, Special Branch, Naval Intelligence and top police officials are investigating the case.

Sources in the shipping fraternity said this is not the first case and there might have been similar incidents when unauthorised and illegal consignments were imported through Kochi. When contacted, a senior port official said the port could not take any additional steps to examine containers coming from abroad. The port's role is limited to ensuring that containers lying in the port area are not tampered with. It is with the Customs and Central Excise to make sure that the contents inside the containers are safe and declared, he added.

Meanwhile, the State Home Minister, Mr Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, has directed the Additional DGP to investigate the arms haul and submit a report at the earliest.

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