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| China-Japan-Koreas | |
| Hong Kong Customs Seize Russian Combat Jet | |
| 2006-04-05 | |
Customs officials at Hong KongÂ’s container terminal Tuesday reportedly foiled an attempt to smuggle a MiG-29 fighter jet through the territory, the DPA news agency reports. The Cold War-era fighter jet, with engines removed, is said to have been found inside a container being shipped through the Hong Kong port, the worldÂ’s busiest in terms of throughput. The government-run RTHK radio station said the fighter jet was intercepted as it was being shipped through Hong Kong to a third country.
Smuggling through Hong KongÂ’s massive Kwai Chung container terminal is widespread but usually involves drugs, counterfeit designer clothes or parts of endangered animals for use in Chinese medicine. The MiG-29, hailed as a highly effective fighter jet in its day, went into production in the former Soviet Union from the late 1960s onwards and was mostly exported to allied states around the world. | |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #8 MiG-29 mounted on pole at Indian Air Force Maintenance Command HQ |
| Posted by: john 2006-04-05 20:04 |
| #7 Was Clint Eastwood in there too? |
| Posted by: mojo 2006-04-05 14:49 |
| #6 Not sure, Sarge. Sounds like the Dutch, doesn't it? |
| Posted by: Secret Master 2006-04-05 12:21 |
| #5 I stand utterly corrected. Design work began in 1974, with first 11 prototypes flying in 1977. Opts evaluation in 1983 with an eye to going up against the F-16. This is an effective, modern combat aircraft still in use by the Russians (or at least the Mig-29 Fulcrum is). ItÂ’s also very expensive. It could be going anywhere, but Hugo is a good guess. He could afford one. |
| Posted by: Secret Master 2006-04-05 12:19 |
| #4 Is it the Dutch that still allow PG-13 nose art on their aircraft? |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2006-04-05 11:28 |
| #3 My guess is a private collector, actually. The MiG-29 is decades out of date. It wouldnÂ’t last five minutes in a dogfight with, say, the Dutch Air Force and would have minimal value putting down an insurgency. |
| Posted by: Secret Master 2006-04-05 11:11 |
| #2 Don't the Norks already have Mig-29s? Why would they smuggle them through Hong Kong? My bet would be Hugo Chavez or Fidel. |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2006-04-05 10:54 |
| #1 WTF? this is odd at the least, bet it was on its way to the Norks, anyone else notice in the last few days just what fckers the russkies are selling all this stuff to sht hole nations. Still odd though - kinda reminds me of when Sammy supergun got nabbed. |
| Posted by: ShepUK 2006-04-05 09:42 |