An Egyptian couple attempting to enter the United Arab Emirates was detained this week at Sharjah International Airport after security officers discovered a 5-month-old baby boy in their carry-on luggage. Police say it appears the couple hid their infant son in the bag because he did not have a visa to enter the country.
"We were very surprised. This is the first time we have seen something like this," police officer Abdel Rahman Shama told CNN.
The couple was originally denied entry into United Arab Emirates on Friday because their son did not have the proper documents. They attempted to smuggle him in their luggage Saturday after being told the visa office did not open until Monday. Airport security discovered the baby when the luggage was put through an X-ray scan.
Authorities say the baby is in good condition. The parents have been charged with child endangerment.
“They were risking the life of the baby. They said in an interrogation they'd resorted to sneaking him through inside a bag because he did not have a passport or visa and they wanted to have him with them in the UAE,” a police spokesman said.
###
Click here for more World News
