FedEx Pilot 'Detained' in Guangzhou for 'Non-metallic Pellet Ammunition'

[Airbubba]

Another 'bullets in the luggage' incident, this stuff is a big deal overseas. :eek: I had a colleague detained in SIN a few years ago in a similar incident.

Hohn is apparently the former wing commander at Altus AFB in Oklahoma.


(Reuters) - FedEx Corp on Thursday said that Chinese authorities in the southern city of Guangzhou detained and later released one of its pilots on bail.

The pilot was taken into custody “after an item was found in his luggage prior to a commercial flight. We are working with the appropriate authorities to gain a better understanding of the facts,” FedEx said in a statement.

The pilot, identified as former U.S. Air Force pilot Todd Hohn, was detained a week ago at the Guangzhou airport, a FedEx regional hub, according to a Wall Street Journal report, citing a lawyer for the pilot’s family. That report said that when Hohn was detained, his checked bag contained nonmetallic pellets used in low-power replica air guns.

FedEx, which gets about a third of its revenue from outside the United States, has been ensnared in tensions between the United States and China.


https://www.reuters.com/article/us-fedex-china/fedex-pilot-detained-by-police-in-south-china-wsj-idUSKBN1W42AD

[Spooky 2]

Seems like guy as bright and capable as Col Hahn would have some inkling that this was not a good idea?

[Airbubba]

He apparently commutes to CAN from HKG and was getting on Cathay Dragon after a trip with a checked bag. Anything that might look like bullets or pills on the X-ray machine will attract attention in baggage screening in my experience. I had a coworker with a couple of packs of microwave popcorn pulled aside since they looked suspicious on the screen.

And, as we've discussed before, the duffel bag that goes to the shooting range shouldn't be the one that you take flying but in many cases it is. What can go wrong with that? :ugh:

[wiedehopf]

"[...] nonmetallic pellets used in low-power replica air guns."

So no powder, just plastic pellets?
That's just ridiculous.

[Verwaltung]

"[...] nonmetallic pellets used in low-power replica air guns."

So no powder, just plastic pellets?
That's just ridiculous.
Yes, that's just what I was thinking - this appears to refer to those approximately 5mm diameter, totally inert, plastic balls; not "ammunition" of any sort, by any definition. This just doesn't make any sense.

[cappt]

Plastic pellets for air soft. They're small rubber beads, made in China for toys. Not firearms ammunition but the plastic jar it's packaged in is labeled AMMO.
https://www.amazon.com/Crosman-10000-Count-Airsoft-Ammo/dp/B0048970A2?SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-iphone-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B0048970A2

He's a person who would be of great interest to certain authorities.

[Airbubba]

What do you do with these 'toy replica air guns'? Do you play games shooting at each other? Do you give them to your kids?

Hopefully this guy is already off probation at FedEx, he appears to be a 75/76 FO based in CAN. If President Trump can get the UCLA varsity sunglasses shoplifting squad off the hook in China perhaps he can help this cargo pilot.

[krismiler]

At least Chinese security aren't pulling the infamous "tanim bala" bullet planting scam from the Philippines.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninoy_Aquino_International_Airport_bullet_planting_scandal

[ironbutt57]

At least Chinese security aren't pulling the infamous "tanim bala" bullet planting scam from the Philippines.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninoy_Aquino_International_Airport_bullet_planting_scandal

friend of mine got tripped up on that scam in Bangkok...spent a stretch in jail before the lid was blown off..crooked Thai police