A man going through security screening at the Region of Waterloo International Airport had two knives with him at the time, Waterloo Regional Police say.
Police were called to the airport over the incident a little after 2 p.m. Monday, as the man was preparing to board his flight.
“Our screening officers intercepted what we call a credit card knife in a passenger’s bag,” said Mathieu Larocque, a spokesperson for the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority.
While the one knife could fold into the shape of a credit card, police say the man’s other knife was disguised as a Swiss army knife. Both weapons are considered illegal in Canada.
A 31-year-old Kitchener man faces charges of carrying a concealed weapon, possession of a prohibited weapon, and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.
Police say the man was released from custody later in the day and able to take another flight to his destination.
“He didn’t have any intention to harm or cause damage to anyone,” said police spokesperson Alana Russell.
“He’s definitely more aware of the implications of what these things are and what it means to have them on you while boarding a plane.”
According to CATSA, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of credit card knives found in air passengers’ bags of late, with “several hundred” flagged across the country since April 1.
With reporting by Allison Tanner
