Mumbai, India – Representatives from Chabad in Mumbai are assisting with efforts to help free a 23 year-old Israeli man who has been detained after being arrested over the weekend at Mumbai Airport for having a single loose bullet in his personal bag.
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ARUTZ SHEVA 7 (http://bit.ly/11jlSdC) is reporting that a Chabad rabbi loaned the man $2,000 to help expedite the acquisition of legal counsel, while the man’s father attempts to obtain necessary legal documents in Israel.
According to the father, his son, like “thousands” of other Israeli men, has a license to carry a gun, and it is likely the bullet may have fallen out of the chamber unnoticed, or simply been forgotten.
Israeli law enforcement officials in Mumbai have asked the father to obtain certified documentation that his son has no prior criminal record, but the man says he has encountered a lack of “good will” from Israeli Police.
According to the Indian attorney now representing the man, it is common for Israelis who have served in the military to come to Mumbai with an unintended bullet “lodged” somewhere in their bags.
It seems that anyone travelling to India, especially a chabadnik, would be aware of the Indian sensitivity to carrying any weapons or ammo, no matter how de minimus. Most Israelis I know don’t have loose ammo in their luggage even if they’ve served in the military.
Yep, Indian customs can be tough. Back in the day, they used to strip-search people for gold. In any case, it is best to obey the laws of the country you are visiting.
I flew back from Israel once with a loose bullet – someone gave me one as a souvenir and I completely forgot about it.
I’m really at a loss for some of the remarks by commentators on this site, who have an excuse for people’s illegal behavior. In the USA, there have been many people who have been arrested at the TSA checkpoints, for carrying illegal weapons IN THEIR CARRY ON LUGGAGE, including loaded firearms. They always have the same nonsensical excuse, namely “I didn’t realize that the weapon was packed with my luggage”. Hello, who packs your luggage, you, or the man on the moon? Aren’t passengers supposed to check their luggage to see what is inside, PRIOR to coming to the airport? When one travels outside of their native country, they are at the mercy of local laws, and hence, should do their best to follow the law. According to Halacha, one is obligated to obey the laws of the country that they are in!
Such creeps here. A person was found with a bullet (not a gun) and you are justifying his detention? As a child I got bullets from the Israeli army as souvenirs. Big deal! What is he going to throw it at someone and cause severe injury or death?! A hammer is 1000 times more lethal than a bullet without an accompanying gun. A bullet without a gun has no weapon value other than a gram of gun powder that is the equivalent of a whipper snapper.