A secret exercise conducted by Cyprus’ airport security directorate at police headquarters on March 9 exposed security gaps at Larnaca airport, leaving officials exposed.
According to a report in Politis newspaper, the exercise saw individuals participating as “passengers” successfully pass through security with a dummy explosive device and prohibited dangerous materials, such as knives, without being detected.
The director of the airport security directorate at the police headquarters, without informing the Civil Aviation Department and the airport’s managing company, was able to pass the dummy explosive device through the checkpoint where passengers traveling through the airport also pass, without being noticed by anyone.
The incident alarmed the Civil Aviation Department as well as the managing company, and the relevant ministers of transport and justice were also informed, who instructed immediate action to be taken to ensure airport security. A senior source confirmed the incident, and the police, along with the relevant ministries, have proceeded to take additional security measures and tightened controls at airports to prevent such an incident from happening in reality.
