Axe, knives and sword seized at Belfast airport

This month saw an axe, a sword and several knives seized from a passenger arriving at Belfast International Airport.

Travel Insurance News - 17/05/2012

<< American Airlines to look at merger options | Travel News | Qantas announces 500 job losses in Victoria >>

This month saw an axe, a sword and several knives seized from a passenger arriving at Belfast International Airport.

Reports said last week that a woman travelling from the US that had transited through London attempted to smuggle the items into Northern Ireland on 9 May. All items were seized from the 22-year-old female from County Armagh and the individual was fined.

The UK Border Force said that enquires are ongoing.

Recent figures show that Border Agency officers have also seized two replica pistols at Belfast International as well as nearly 150,000 cigarettes and in excess of 60kgs of rolling tobacco from arriving passengers since the beginning of the month.

Belfast International Airport Border Force spokesman John Spence said in a statement that although knives and other types of weapons can be bought whilst overseas that it is illegal to bring such items into Northern Ireland from outside the country. He said that Border Agency staff are “determined” to prevent such contraband from reaching the streets and that it was “no defence” to be ignorant of the law.

Spence said that those caught with illegal items will have such products seized and may face criminal charges.

<< American Airlines to look at merger options | Travel News | Qantas announces 500 job losses in Victoria >>