Airport Officers Arrest Man Over Drugs, Guns

An Oxnard man was arrested at the Burbank Airport after security officers discovered he was attempting to carry two guns, a knife and a small amount of drugs onto a commercial flight to Oakland, Burbank police said Friday.

Arthur Schwab, 43, was arrested at 6 p.m. Thursday at the USAir gate after airport security officers noticed a knife in his briefcase as it went through an X-ray screening machine, Burbank Police Sgt. Don Goldberg said.

Schwab was then detained and the briefcase was opened. Officers found two handguns, one of which was dismantled, ammunition for the guns, a knife and plastic bags containing small amounts of cocaine and marijuana, Goldberg said.

Schwab was arrested on suspicion of cocaine possession and was taken to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center because he complained of chest pains during the arrest, Goldberg said. According to a police report, Schwab told police that he was under medication for an unspecified illness and had forgotten that he had the weapons in the briefcase.