Rambi said airlines, including the national carrier, Air Niugini, have to ensure all passengers and their luggage are thoroughly checked for contraband like guns and other dangerous materials.
His concern follows the confiscation of a grenade launcher from a passenger at Mt. Hagen’s Kagamuga Airport and a hand grenade reportedly discovered in an Air Niugini aircraft from Buka.
“Airline companies operating in the country should resort to more competent security practices and install modernized security systems to thoroughly check the passengers and their luggage at the airports,” Rambi said.
He said the transportation of these dangerous weapons without being detected at one end indicated how ill-prepared airline companies and their security divisions were.
“The ineffective and slack security divisions of airlines are solely blamed for the transportation of illegal firearms from one place to another and I remain to be enlightened as to how these illegal weapons were detected at the point of departure,” Rambi said.
He also called on major sea ports and wharves to beef up their security systems.
