Posted on: Thursday, May 29, 2003

Knife seized, woman arrested at airport

Associated Press

A woman on her way to Hilo was arrested at Honolulu International Airport yesterday after security screeners found a knife hidden in her clothing, authorities said.

The woman, whose age wasn't immediately available, was stopped at a checkpoint in the interisland terminal where the weapon was discovered by screeners, said Scott Ishikawa, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation.

Sidney Hayakawa, the Transportation Security Administration's security director in Honolulu, said the woman was carrying a small knife.

She was arrested on a weapons charge and taken to the airport cellblock by sheriff's deputies around 2:45 p.m., Ishikawa said.

The Sheriff's Department referred calls to airport officials. Ishikawa said further details weren't immediately available.

Also yesterday, a woman entering the commuter area of the terminal was arrested after screeners discovered she was carrying drugs, according to Ishikawa. She was arrested on drug charges by sheriff's deputies and taken to the airport cellblock, Ishikawa said.