Israeli arrested in Thailand after M-16 ammunition found in suitcase

An Israeli was arrested on Friday morning at the Phuket airport in Thailand after 55 5.56 mm assault rifle bullets were found in his suitcase, according to local media.

The Israeli, Gal Shmuel Farjun, 29, admitted during his inverrogation that the bullets found were his - but he did not provide an explanation to law enforcement officials in the country as to why he possessed them.

The ammunition was found in a gray Samsonite suitcase - after Farjun landed in an airport in Phuket on a domestic flight. The police said that he was transferred to the Sakho police station, adjacent to the airport, where he was questioned for illegal possession and transportation of ammunition.

Release, bail and trial

Farjun was released on bail and is awaiting his trial. His family is convinced that the ammunition was forgotten in the suitcase from his last stint in the Israeli military reserves. "It's a common thing to forget in a bag - especially when you're in the field and your bag is your closet."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that "the Department of Israelis Abroad in the Consular Wing and the Consul in Bangkok are monitoring the case and the Consul was in constant contact with the citizen."

They wished to remind the public that before traveling abroad, bags and luggage should be carefully checked to prevent the discovery of ammunition or other prohibited substances which constitute an offense in other countries and may lead to the arrest, trial and imprisonment of Israeli citizens.