A security guard working for an airport duty-free shop in Los Angeles has been arrested after allegedly attempting to smuggle guns onto an Aer Lingus flight to Dublin, writes Roddy O'Sullivan.
The 29-year-old guard, who worked for Duty Free Stores North America, is said to have attempted to smuggle five guns past checkpoints to a person he thought was an Irish courier. The "courier" was a Customs special agent.
Another 29-year-old man, who was born in Armenia, was also arrested during a related investigation.
Ireland was chosen as the destination because two of the agents had Irish-American backgrounds, according to a customs agent.
A spokesman for US Customs told The Irish Times last night there "was no evidence to implicate the IRA or any other paramilitary organisations" in the incident.
A spokesman for Aer Lingus said the airline "co-operates with authorities in airports worldwide in maintaining the highest standards of security and safety. We co-operate whenever required with authorities throughout our network of services".