Portuguese National Arrested at Bali Airport Carrying 50 Rounds of Undocumented Ammunition

Police have arrested a 47-year-old Portuguese foreign national, identified by the initials ACRD, at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali for carrying 50 rounds of ammunition without valid documentation. The foreign national was detained at the airport’s Departure Terminal late on Saturday night (20/6) at around 11:28 p.m. local time. “Based on the initial examination, the individual admitted that the ammunition belonged to him,” said Ipda I Gede Suka Artana, Head of Public Relations for the I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport Area Police, in a written statement on Wednesday (24/6).

The foreign national was at the Security Check Point (SCP) for international departures at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport when aviation security (Avsec) officers conducted an X-ray screening of passengers’ luggage. “From the screening results, officers detected a suspicious object inside a backpack belonging to a passenger who was about to depart for Abu Dhabi,” he added. Following a manual inspection with the bag owner’s consent, officers discovered 50 rounds of .22 long rifle calibre ammunition, typically used for long-barrelled firearms. The dozens of bullets were still stored in their box and wrapped in white tissue paper inside one of the pockets of the black backpack.

Avsec officers then detained the Portuguese national along with the evidence and reported the incident to the police stationed at the airport area. “The evidence secured consists of 50 rounds of .22 long rifle calibre ammunition, one black ammunition box, and one black backpack used to store the ammunition,” he explained. From the examination, the foreign national admitted to being an active member of a shooting sports federation in Portugal. He claimed the dozens of ammunition rounds were likely left behind in the bag he usually uses for shooting practice in his home country. He stated he was unaware the ammunition was still in the bag when he travelled abroad.

Nevertheless, he admitted he did not possess a valid permit or documentation from the Indonesian government regarding the ownership, storage, or transport of the ammunition within Indonesian territory. Investigators from the Criminal Investigation Unit of the I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport Area Police are currently deepening the case by examining witnesses, reviewing CCTV footage, seizing evidence, coordinating with the Portuguese Consulate, and conducting a case conference. “The case is still under further investigation. All international flight passengers are urged to ensure their luggage complies with applicable legal provisions and aviation regulations to maintain mutual security and safety,” he stated. For his actions, the foreign national has been charged with violating Article 306 of the Criminal Code as stipulated in Law Number 1 of 2023.