IT sounds like a scene from a Police Academy movie.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has been forced to apologise for accidentally leaving behind a suitcase at Sydney Airport containing 230 grams of a plastic explosive after a dog training exercise.

The bomb had been hidden in an unclaimed suitcase during the training, which took place last month. It wasn’t live, according to a statement released on the AFP website.

However it was found just this week when a travelling woman was offered a replacement suitcase after hers was damaged during a flight.

She found the explosive inside and took it straight to Cessnock Police Station, where officers cleared the building as a safety precaution.

AFP Sydney Airport Commander Wayne Buchhorn apologised to travellers and said the incident will be investigated.

“The AFP takes this error seriously and the canine instructor who inadvertently left this device behind has been identified and will be the subject of a formal Professional Standards Investigation,” he said.

“Although the travelling public was not in danger at any time, we regularly review our processes in this area, and we will do again in the light of this incident.

“This type of training is essential for our canine teams, allowing the dogs to experience potential threats in a real environment,” he said adding he wanted to thank the woman for her help.

However that hasn’t stopped the gaffe going viral, with Twitter users quick to have a laugh at the AFP’s expense.

AFP gives random woman a bomb at Sydney airport, she gives takes bomb home to Cessnock. Best press release ever: http://t.co/1DcVGap7s2 — Angus Macdonald (@AngusLMacdonald) September 11, 2014

so um... was the specific terror threat actually the AFP? — Nick Evershed (@NickEvershed) September 11, 2014

Oops! Australian Federal Police apologise for accidentally leaving plastic explosives at Sydney Airport http://t.co/MxM28Wj7WQ — Adam Joyce (@randomravings) September 11, 2014

Cue Brandis saying unless we increase AFP funding, they won't be able to afford to train their people not to leave explosives laying around. — Leslie Nassar (@leslienassar) September 11, 2014

Police dogs are trained to sniff out money, drugs and explosives.