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A 47-year-old Alberta man has been charged with a number of gun-related charges after a handgun was discovered in his luggage at the Ottawa International Airport on Monday, April 11.

The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) found the .22 caliber handgun when the man’s checked baggage went through security screening processes early Monday evening while he was waiting to board an evening WestJet flight to Calgary.

Ottawa police were called around 7 p.m. and the man was charged with careless transportation of a firearm, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm knowing no authority, possessing a restricted firearm with ammunition, and two counts of attempting to commit an indictable offence.

CATSA spokesperson Mathieu Larocque noted that firearms can be taken in checked luggage as long as they are registered with the airline beforehand, but he said this incident was highly unusual.

“We may see incidents of hunters forgetting to register their firearms, but I’m trying to remember the last time we’ve seen this kind of incident at the Ottawa airport and I can’t, even across the country I can’t remember the last time. It’s not a common incident,” Larocque said.

The man was travelling alone and remains in custody in Ottawa, according to Sergeant Ken Bryden from the Ottawa Police guns and gangs unit. The arrest did not delay any flights or close any parts of the airport, Larocque said.