A Washington state senator, Jeff Wilson, was arrested upon arriving at Hong Kong International Airport for carrying an unregistered firearm. Wilson, a Republican from Longview, was taken into

custody during a vacation in Southeast Asia with his wife.

Charged with carrying a firearm without a license, Wilson, who has been in the state senate since 2021 and a Port of Longview commissioner since 2016, claimed he was unaware of the pistol's presence in his briefcase when he passed through airport security in Portland, Oregon. He stated that "baggage screeners failed to note it."

Wilson appeared before Sha Tin Court on Monday and was granted bail. He is scheduled to reappear in court next Monday.

Contrary to press reports, Wilson asserted that the weapon was not discovered during a bag check but rather when he reached into his briefcase during the flight from San Francisco to Hong Kong and felt the unloaded revolver.

Upon landing, Wilson immediately informed customs officials, characterizing the incident as "an honest mistake" and expressing his belief that the case would be resolved promptly.

Although the firearm was unregistered in Hong Kong, Wilson emphasized that it was registered in Washington state. Photo by jeffwilson.src.wastateleg.org.