OTS intercepts bullet-shell bottle opener at NAIA

The Office for Transportation Security (OTS) on Monday said its airport screeners intercepted a bottle opener made from a bullet shell during routine screening at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1.

The item, found on Wednesday, was located in the luggage of a passenger bound for Riyadh on a Saudia Flight SV 861. OTS said the x-ray operator spotted an image resembling ammunition on the monitor and referred the bag for manual inspection.

The follow-up check confirmed that the object was an empty bullet shell repurposed as a bottle opener. It was confiscated and turned over to the Philippine National Police – Aviation Security Group (PNP-AVSEGROUP) for proper disposition.

The passenger was allowed to continue his flight.

OTS on Monday said that similar items, often kept as souvenirs or talismans, are intercepted almost daily at airport checkpoints.

It also emphasized that its role in such cases is limited to detecting and confiscating prohibited items before turning them over to the aviation police for further inquiry.

In November, OTS rolled out an information campaign reminding passengers that items such as talismans and bullets used as souvenirs are prohibited in airports. The campaign’s goal is to prevent passengers from unintentionally violating security rules.

It also sought to address the lingering public association of airport screening with the “tanim bala” from the past years.