A China-bound cargo plane of the United Arab Emirates(UAE) Air Force was detained and its ten crew members including the pilot questioned when customs officials found arms and ammunition on board the aircraft after it made a scheduled transit landing at the airport here.
The 10 crew members were taken to a nearby luxury hotel and being questioned by the customs officials who along with immigration officials found the plane was carrying "arms and ammunition" during a routine check yesterday, Wg Cdr Mahesh Upasani, Spokesman of the Eastern Air Command said.
The C-130 plane was was on its way to Hanyang in China from Abu Dhabi and had landed at the NSC Bose International airport to refuel around 5.30 PM yesterday.
The crew members did not inform in the routine declaration submitted to authorities that arms and ammunition were in the plane, which however had the required civil and military clearance for transit through Kolkata, Upasani said. The particular column in the proforma was left blank, he added.
Upasani said the quantity and type of arms and ammunition being carried was immediately not known. The customs officials did a "wonderful job" by detecting the arms and ammunition in the plane, he said.
Customs officials said that the ministry of external affairs had been briefed about the development.
External affairs minister SM Krishna said the government is trying to get a report and will look into the matter.
The plane was taken to Bay number 14 and parked there and it was not known when the plane would be permitted to take off, airport sources said.
