Travellers trying to beat system – Security official

Although persons are frequently reminded of the prohibited items of travel, security personnel at the Argyle International Airport (AIA) say that travellers continue to employ means designed to “beat the system”.

During an interview on the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) radio station on Wednesday, McNeal Duncan, deputy head of security at AIA, said that prohibited alcoholic beverages are among items that passengers frequently try to disguise in order to travel with them out of the country.

“One of that is the Sunset Very Strong Rum which is 84.5 per cent. We have people trying to disguise it by putting it in other bottles,” Duncan said. “We know that you are trying to beat the system and if you are telling us that you do not have it in your bag, it means that you are trying to get out with it.”

The deputy head of security stressed that safety of passengers on an airline was most important.

He added that disguising alcoholic beverages in different bottles can threaten security if something happened during a flight and it would mean that security at the airport was not doing its job.

“We are trying to avoid that and so we are asking passengers that once you are travelling, do not travel with things you are not supposed to be travelling with,” Duncan said.

Keith Miller, head of security, said that notices and signs are posted throughout the airport. He also pointed out that announcements over the intercom system remind passengers to remove items from their luggage that they cannot travel with.

“Given the fact that you were forewarned, I think once goods are confiscated, they should not be returned. We have to set standards. We do not have the manpower to be confiscating articles, confiscating prohibited goods and have persons come for them,” Miller said.

A press release from AIA states that no alcoholic beverages that exceed 70 per cent by volume or 140 proof are permitted for travel.

The release also states that it is a mandatory safety procedure for all luggage to be screened in compliance with the Civil Aviation Act, Annex 17 of the ICAO convention. 

And, luggage containing bottles, even though they are wrapped in layers of paper or fabric, will be flagged and searched.(BK)