Guns bound for Lebanon seized at airport, man charged
EDMONTON A 60-year-old man is facing charges after two handguns discovered in a checked suitcase bound for Beruit, Lebanon, were seized by Edmonton International Airport RCMP.
The Norinco 54 9-mm semiautomatic handgun and a Chiappa 1911 22-calibre handgun were seized around 8 a.m. Monday after police at the airport were alerted to the luggage by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA).
The man identified as the owner of the luggage was arrested by RCMP moments before the plane was to depart for Lebanon.
“Our partnership with CATSA has enabled us to take two restricted guns off the street,” said airport RCMP Sgt. Beth Philipp in a Wednesday news release.
Mohamad Abdulgani Elkadri of Edmonton is charged with six firearms related offences, including two counts of unsafe transport of a restricted weapon, two counts of possession of a restricted firearm without a licence, and two counts of exporting a firearm without authorization.
Elkadri has since been released from custody by a justice of the peace and is to appear in Leduc provincial court on Nov. 1 at 9:30 a.m.