US citizen flies in armed, is detained

CHENNAI: A US citizen was taken into custody at Chennai airport on Monday when he arrived from Frankfurt with a rifle and cartridges.

Custom officials said Leslie George Thomas (47), a native of San Francisco, had flown from Los Angeles to Frankfurt to take the Lufthansa flight to Chennai.

Thomas had left one bag at the airport on Sunday night when he arrived as he could not pay the customs duty. He said he would return to pay the duty and take his bag.

But when the bag was scanned, officials found that it contained a rifle and 200 cartridges. When Thomas returned, he was detained for questioning.

Officials said Thomas made contradictory statements. At first, he said he had brought the rifle and cartridges for the Rifle Club in Chennai. Later, he disowned the bag itself.

Officials expressed surprise that the rifle and cartridges were not detected at Frankfurt airport.