CANCUN — Federal police have reported that a man from Texas was arrested at the Cancun International Airport over the weekend after a scan of his luggage found he was carrying a .40-millimeter Smith & Wesson gun as well as cartridges.
According to police information, the American man did not have the legal documentation that is required to bring the gun or ammunition into the country. Since he was found without legal documentation, he was arrested.
Several arrests are made each year at the Cancun airport for passenger violations, however this particular case is the first with the airport’s new Federal Police x-ray system. The luggage of all incoming passengers is scanned with a high-tech x-ray machine between the plane and terminals prior to passengers picking up their luggage to enter customs.
The new system not only allows a more thorough scan, but also speeds up processing time at three of the airport’s international terminals.
People entering Mexico with a firearm must apply for a special import permit and carry-license from a Mexican Consulate before traveling to Mexico.
Any firearm, and all equipment related to firearms including ammunition (regardless of caliber), sights, constituent parts or accessories, all require an import permit. Items such as night-vision sight equipment, pepper spray and taser guns are on the government restricted items list and also require an import permit.
Source: riviera-maya-news.com