A 28-year-old U.S. woman was arrested on Sunday after Australian border authorities discovered a 24-carat gold-plated handgun in her suitcase upon her arrival in the country.
The unidentified woman was traveling from Los Angeles to Sydney when Australian Border Force agents found the weapon,according to a news release from the agency.
As the ABF said, the woman is not licensed to carry a gun in Australia, which has strict gun laws. She was arrested and charged under section 233BAB(5) of the Customs Act 1901.
Officials are crediting “sophisticated” detection technology for finding the weapon, which was not flagged in the U.S. before the woman took off for Australia.
Australian Border Force
On Monday, the woman appeared in court at Downing Centre Local Court and posted bail, officials said.
She faces up to 10 years in prison, the ABF said, and she could be deported pending the outcome of the court proceedings.
Since the 1996 Port Arthur mass shooting in Tasmania that left 35 people dead, Australia has maintained strict gun control laws.
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Gun-related deaths have declined more than 7% each year since the legislation was passed,an Australian study showed.
source: people.com
