3 Filipino travelers fined for banned weapons in their luggage

By Vir B. Lumicao

Advertisment for stun guns sold in the Philippines

Three Filipino transit passengers have been convicted and fined by Hong Kong courts just this month for carrying stun guns and other prohibited weapons in their luggage, according to an officer of the Consulate.

The officer from the assistance to nationals section said the three travelers arrived at the Hong Kong International Airport on various dates this month. He did not give the identities of the three defendants.

He said all three were charged at the West Kowloon Court and fined between $1,000 and $1,700 each for their offenses.

“The latest two cases, which happened only last week and involved a seaman from Xiamen and a transit passenger from San Francisco, were heard in the court a week ago,” the ATN officer said.

He said the passenger from San Francisco was found with a pepper spray, a stun gun and an extendable baton in his check-in luggage. A judge in West Kowloon Court convicted and fined him $1,700.

The second passenger, who arrived from Xiamen to take a connecting flight to Manila, was also convicted and fined $1,000 for carrying a stun gun in his backpack, the ATN officer said.

The seaman told the court he only found the weapon on the street and picked it up.

Earlier in February, a Filipino who came from India was also fined the same amount for having a stun gun in his check-in luggage.