SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 2016

TSA Week in Review: March 11th - 17th

Sixty-two firearms were discovered this week in carry-on bags around the nation. Of the 62 firearms discovered, 50 were loaded and 14 had a round chambered. All of the firearms pictured were discovered last week. See a complete list below.
If an item looks like a real bomb, grenade, mine, etc., it is prohibited. When these items are found at a checkpoint or in checked baggage, they can cause significant delays because our explosives detection professionals must respond to resolve the alarm. Even if they are novelty items, you are prohibited from bringing them on board the aircraft. Six inert grenades were discovered this week. Four inert grenades (Pictured above) were discovered in a checked bag at Honolulu (HNL). Another inert grenade was discovered in a checked bag at Phoenix Mesa (IWA). Additionally, an inert grenade was discovered in a carry-on bag at Oklahoma City (OKC).
An item with an organic mass and protruding wires triggered an alarm resulting in a bag search at New York Kennedy (JFK). The suspicious item ended up being what the traveler described as abstract art. DIY art and electronic projects can look a lot like explosives. Please keep this in mind when packing your bags and possibly consider shipping the item instead of packing it.
An oversized bottle of liquor was detected in a carry-on bag at Detroit (DTW). Not only was the large bottle of liquor prohibited, but so were the five dead endangered seahorses that were inside the bottle. Michigan Fish and Game responded and confiscated the bottle.
After alarming advanced imaging technology, a St. Louis (STL) passenger removed a 3.5-inch knife from her upper body area. Concealed items can lead to arrest and fines.
A knife was discovered in a Springfield (SGF) traveler’s carry-on bag. He was permitted to exit the checkpoint with the knife. Upon returning, the knife was discovered concealed inside the handle mechanism of his carry-on bag. Concealed items can lead to arrest and fines.
A traveler at Niagara Falls (IAG) had a motorcycle battery in his carry-on bag. All spillable batteries are prohibited from both carry-on and checked baggage. Read our blog post for more info on traveling with batteries. (The picture is an example of the battery discovered)
Clockwise from the top, the pictured items were discovered at SAN, AUS, ORD, SFO, AUS, STL, LAS and CKB


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.



You can travel with your firearms in checked baggage, but they must first be declared to the airline.

You can go here for more details on how to properly travel with your firearms.


Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality. Travelers should familiarize themselves with state and local firearm laws for each point of travel prior to departure.


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. The passenger can face a penalty as high as $11,000. 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.


*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.


Read our 2015 Year in Review post!If you haven’t read them yet, make sure you check out our year in review posts for2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014.


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Bob Burns
TSA Social Media Team


Posted by Bob Burns (TSA Blog Team) at 3/19/2016 07:17:00 PM

http://blog.tsa.gov/2016/03/tsa-week...11th-17th.html