Beijing police detained 71 people over the past eight months for bringing forbidden articles into the subway, the city's metro operator said Monday.

More than 3,600 passengers who carried unsafe items, or attempted to do so, were sent to the authorities. At least 16,000 people were barred from getting on the trains, the Beijing Subway Operation Company said in a statement.

Subway staff had seized more than 37,500 dangerous items, including detonators, tear bombs and gasoline, with the help of about 2,000 X-ray machines installed in 123 stations since June 29, when the city started compulsory security checks of all subway passengers.

Passengers have been asked to have their bags scanned before entering subway stations in an effort to ensure security during the Olympics and Paralympics. The practice is still in place.

It usually takes just a few seconds to scan a bag. Most of the passengers are cooperative despite the slight inconvenience.

Beijing, the host for the Olympics from Aug. 8 to 24 and the Paralympics from Sept. 6 to 17, has eight subway lines with 200 km of track.

(Xinhua News Agency March 10, 2009)