Test Scanner Nabs Smuggling Suspect
SAN FRANCISCO — A Salvadoran man was arraigned Tuesday after a $1-million scanning device being tried out at San Francisco International Airport found guns and ammunition hidden in his boombox, authorities said.
Miguel Gallegos, 40, was arrested by airport police after his luggage passed through a thermal neutron analysis unit, airport spokesman Ron Wilson said.
The unit detects nitrogen emissions from explosives when luggage is passed through a cloud of neutrons, Wilson said. The device supplements luggage checks by X-ray and dogs.
Gallegos, on his way to catch TACA flight 611 to Costa Rica, hid about 100 rounds of ammunition and four handguns wrapped in aluminum foil, Wilson said. The weaponry was wrapped in duct tape to make it appear to be internal radio parts in an X-ray examination, Wilson said.
Airport police turned Gallegos over to U.S. Customs Department authorities.
Only two of the scanners are in operation. Both are being tested at the San Francisco airport.
The scanners are made by Santa Clara-based Science Application International Corp.
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