Man held for carrying retractable baton in luggage

 

Sample of an extendable baton

Here’s a fresh warning for those flying out of Hong Kong to never bring with them any prohibited weapon or item, whether in their carry-on or checked-in baggage.

A 62-year-old Hong Kong man was arrested on Friday, Dec 26, after security staff conducting routine screening of outbound baggage discovered what appeared to be a prohibited weapon inside his checked luggage bound for the United States.

After police were called, they found that the man had allegedly packed a retractable baton in his checked suitcase, which is classified as a prohibited weapon.

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Other items in this category include guns, imitation guns, bullets, and even chemical substances that can incapacitate or disable a person, such as pepper spray, mace or tear gas.

The man was arrested on suspicion of contravening the Aviation Security Ordinance, which forbids anyone from carrying with them any prohibited items in their luggage, both hand-carried or checked-in.

He was released on police bail pending further investigation.

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In the past, many inbound passengers or even those in transit, have been stopped at Hong Kong International Airport for carrying such items in their luggage, with many claiming not to know that this was illegal.

They included Filipino travelers, some of them seafarers who either had bullets in their bags which they said served as amulets, or extendable batons they took fancy on in the mainland.

At least one Filipino, a tourist bound for Britain, was also held at the airport in 2018 after his luggage was found to contain both an extendable baton and several tear gas canisters, which he said his male employer had asked him to take to London. He was lucky he was let off with just a $1,000 fine.