It now appears that security has been tightened at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. This tightening up of security comes after a team of investigative journalists smuggled bottles of liquids onto passenger jets bound for London and Washington D.C.

The security at Schiphol Airport has been under scrutiny ever since Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was able to fly from the airport to Detroit on Christmas Day with explosives in his underwear. He allegedly tried to detonate the explosives just as the plane was landing, but was grabbed by passengers and crew members.

An undercover operation, which was broadcast Sunday night, showed reporters buying bottles full of approved substances at a duty free store. These bottles were then emptied, filled with a new substance, and then smuggled back into the store. When back in the store the same bottle (now filled with a different substance) was re-bought without being checked and placed in a clear plastic bag that would not be checked by airport security.

The National Anti terror Coordinator says extra security staff will immediately begin patrolling duty free stores at the airport. There will also be more stringent checks on bottles bought at the duty free store. Some of the stores said that they will stop selling liquids altogether.

This little stunt was possible because handbag security is conducted at the boarding gate and not before entering the departure lounge. Unfortunately, the departure lounge is where all the duty free shops are located. Liquids have been considered security threats ever since the so called shoe bomber, Richard Reid, tried to detonate liquid explosives that were hidden in his shoe back in 2001.