Indian passenger on Dubai flight 'found with handgun'

Investigation launched after reports that man took small pistol onto FlyDubai flight

The handgun said to have been seized from a passenger at Indira Gandhi International Airport. Photo: Delhi Customs / Twitter

An investigation has been launched after customs authorities in India reported they had confiscated a handgun from a passenger on a flight from Dubai shortly after it arrived in Delhi.

Officials at Indira Gandhi International Airport posted on Twitter a photo of a handgun seized from a passenger on a FlyDubai flight from Dubai International Airport.

Customs officers said the passenger was arrested after arriving in Delhi from Dubai on flight FZ451 on Tuesday, February 1.

“Continuing in its vigil, Customs at IGIA seized a revolver and two empty magazines from an India passenger arrived from Dubai by FZ451 flight on 1st Feb,” the Delhi Customs post read.

“The arms has been seized and the passenger has been placed under arrest.”

Indira Gandhi International Airport is the primary international airport serving Delhi and is the country’s busiest.

Dubai Police said any investigation was under the jurisdiction of Dubai Customs.

Dubai Customs said it only inspected passengers coming into the UAE.

FlyDubai said it was looking into the incident.

“We are aware of the tweet,” a FlyDubai representative said.

“We are taking it seriously and we are investigating.”

It is rare for a passenger carrying a concealed weapon to avoid detection at the many security checkpoints before boarding an aircraft at international airports.

This month, a gun loaded with six bullets was discovered in the hand luggage of a passenger at Buffalo-Niagara International Airport’s security checkpoint in the US.

In December, US authorities launched an investigation after an 83-year-old man flying from Barbados to Miami carried a loaded handgun on to an American Airlines flight undetected by security.

According to a police report, the passenger was arrested after landing at Miami International Airport where the weapon and five 32-calibre rounds were discovered by security officials before he transferred to an Orlando flight.