Police Commissioner suspects prohibited items enter in air luggage; Governor’s Council discusses improvements to border security
Strengthening border security to prevent illegal weapons arriving in Bermuda has been a discussion point at the Governor’s Council.
Governor Andrew Murdoch this week said they were considering how to equip and enable customs personnel “to better detect things coming in that are prohibited – whether it’s drugs, but it’s also all other prohibited items as well.”
The Governor was speaking at the second Town Hall on gun and gang violence, responding to an attendee who questioned how illegal items are entering our shores.
At the same meeting, Police Commissioner Darrin Simons announced that eight more articles – including bladed weapons – are being added to the prohibited items list. An amnesty is being launched to give people the chance to hand in such weapons without consequence.
The Commissioner also responded to the question on border security, saying he suspects many prohibited items are entering through the airport in people’s luggage.
“Law enforcement at our ports of entry is particularly focused on things like drugs”, he said.
Bermuda Broadcasting subsequently asked the Police Commissioner if Bermuda is missing something in our border security.
“I don’t know that we’re necessarily missing something”, he responded. “…there’s maybe opportunities, which are currently even being discussed, about different technologies, different tactics that we may be able to put in place.”
Commissioner Simons suggested that such technologies may improve the scanning of luggage brought to Bermuda by arriving passengers.
The Commissioner said he was not at liberty to provide further detail on this discussions at the Governor’s Council.
When asked whether we may hear more on this matter, he said “in the elapse of time, there may be media releases…”
“…or you might just see something different at the airport.”
