ASF detains 5 Thai nationals for carrying firearms

Officials say firearms were found in Thais' luggage as they checked for a Thai Airways flight at Lahore airport

LAHORE: Officials from Airport Security Force (ASF) said on Thursday they have detained five Thai nationals for trying to board a plane with a pistol and ammunition.

A handgun and bullets were found in the Thais' luggage as they checked for a Thai Airways flight at Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore on Monday, they said.

"Five nationals of Thailand, supposedly students, were detained on June 8 after a 32-bore pistol and six live bullets were found in the luggage of one of them," an official from the ASF told AFP.

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"The detainees were later handed over to the relevant investigative authorities," he added on condition of anonymity.

An official from the Federal Investigation Authority also confirmed the arrests.

The government has recently beefed up security at its airports and inspectors have arrested several people involved in smuggling currency and drugs.

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Officials at the Thai embassy in Islamabad could not be reached for comment.