WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 2017

TSA Week in Review May 1st - 7th: 61 Firearms, Gun Powder, Concealed Weapons, Inert Explosives and More

TSA discovered 61 firearms last week in carry-on bags around the nation. Of the 66 firearms discovered, 52 were loaded and 23 had a round chambered. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality. Travelers bringing firearms to the checkpoint can be arrested and fined up to $11,000. Travelers should familiarize themselves with state and local firearm laws for each point of travel prior to departure. You can go here for more details on how to properly travel with your firearms in checked baggage. All of the firearms pictured were discovered last week. See a complete list below.
This inert explosives training device was discovered in the carry-on bag of a Columbia (CAE) traveler. Even if not real, anything resembling an explosive is prohibited from travel all together. We don’t know explosives are inert until our explosives professionals take a closer look, and that takes time and slows down the line. It can even lead to a complete shutdown and evacuation.
A one-pound container of smokeless gun powder was discovered in a checked bag at Anchorage (ANC). While ammunition is permitted in checked bags when packed properly, containers of gun powder are prohibited altogether from being brought on the aircraft.
Two live smoke grenades were discovered in a checked bag at Atlanta (ATL). Smoke grenades are prohibited from both carry-on and checked bags.
These inert grenades were discovered in a carry-on bag at Honolulu (HNL). Anything resembling a grenade is prohibited altogether. We don’t know grenades are inert until our explosives professionals take a closer look, and that takes time and slows down the line. It can even lead to a complete shutdown and evacuation.
A stun cane was discovered in a traveler’s carry-on property. All shocking devices are prohibited in carry-on bags. If you pack them in your checked bags, be sure you’re familiar with local laws at all of the points of your travel.
Clockwise from the top, these knives were discovered in carry-on bags at SJC, CMH, DEN and CAK. While all knives are prohibited in carry-on bags, they may be packed in checked baggage.
This cane sword was discovered in a passenger’s carry-on property. All knives and swords are prohibited in carry-on bags and concealed items can lead to fines and arrest. Many don’t even know there is sword in their cane. If you’re using a secondhand cane, just give it a twist and a pull at the handle to make sure you don’t have a sword cane.
In addition to all of the other prohibited items we find weekly in carry-on bags, our officers also regularly find firearm components, realistic replica firearms, bb and pellet guns, airsoft guns, brass knuckles, ammunition, batons, stun guns, small pocketknives and many other prohibited items too numerous to note.

*In order to provide a timely weekly update, this data is compiled from a preliminary report. The year-end numbers will vary slightly from what is reported in the weekly updates. However, any monthly, midyear or end-of-year numbers TSA provides on this blog or elsewhere will be actual numbers and not estimates.

Unfortunately these sorts of occurrences are all too frequent which is why we talk about these finds. Sure, it’s great to share the things that our officers are finding, but at the same time, each time we find a dangerous item, the line is slowed down and a passenger that likely had no ill intent ends up with a citation or in some cases is even arrested. This is a friendly reminder to please leave these items at home. Just because we find a prohibited item on an individual does not mean they had bad intentions; that's for the law enforcement officer to decide. In many cases, people simply forgot they had these items.

If you haven’t read them yet, make sure you check out our year in review posts for 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014,2015 and 2016. And don’t forget to check out our top 10 most unusual finds of 2016 video!

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Bob Burns
TSA Social Media Team

Posted by Bob Burns (TSA Blog Team) at 5/10/2017 04:36:00 PM

http://blog.tsa.gov/2017/05/tsa-week...st-7th-61.html