Power banks top list of seized items at airports in India

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) reported on Monday that security organizations seize about 25,000 prohibited items from passengers at various airports across the nation each day.

At BCAS’s Delhi headquarters, the Aviation Security Culture Week-2023 was officially launched by Zulfiquar Hasan, the organization’s director general. At all domestic airports, we screen about 8.5 lakh handbags and 5 lakh pieces of checked baggage each day. And as we check, we uncover about 25,000 items that are prohibited, delaying the clearance process for passengers and wasting security personnel’s time, according to Hasan. According to BCAS, power banks (44%), lighters (19%), loose batteries (18%), and laptops (11%) are the most frequently discovered seized prohibited items in checked baggage.

Hasan continued by saying that unbeatable security is necessary for the expansion of the aviation industry. India has the highest percentage of first-time flyers in the world, so we cannot afford to make even one mistake, he said, adding that as a result, we have organized a week-long program to educate people. Hasan elaborated on the new types of threats to the aviation industry, noting that 3,300 flights carry 4.8 lakh passengers daily. Hasan cited cyber threats, which also include drones.