Suspect goods found in subways

Source: Xinhua  |   2008-7-1  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

MORE than 90 dangerous items were stopped from being carried on the capital's subways and more than 50 passengers were turned away on Sunday, the first day of compulsory security checks for passengers, the Beijing Times reported.

The move, which was originally scheduled to last for three months in a bid to ensure a safe Olympic Games in August and the Paralympics in September, will remain in place after the sports events were completed, said an official with the Beijing Subway Operation Co.

In Sunday's security operation, more than 2,000 inspectors were on duty at 181 Metro posts, searching for guns, ammunition, knives, explosives, and flammable, radioactive, toxic or caustic materials.

By 2pm on Sunday, they had screened more than 50,000 items carried by passengers and blocked more than 90 items including gasoline, butane and daggers.

At the Wangjingxi Station, inspectors seized 2 kilograms of gasoline at about 11am. A passenger is being questioned but no further details have been made available.

Liquids are also be subject to confiscation unless passengers sip them in front of inspectors. Large luggage is checked by X-ray machines, while smaller bags undergo random checks. More than 30 dogs are being used for inspections and another 30 are being trained.