SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2015

TSA Week in Review: Record 68 Firearms Discovered in Carry-on Bags This Week (61 Loaded)

A record number of 68 firearms were discovered this week in carry-on bags around the nation. The previous record of 67 firearms was set last month. Of the 68firearms discovered, 61 were loaded and 25 had a round chambered. All of the firearms pictured here were discovered this 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 the 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. A checked bag at Seattle (SEA) belonging to an active duty military passenger contained two-feet of replica demolition cord, two blocks of replica Semtex and four blocks of replica C4. Inert IED training aids are never permitted in carry-on or checked bags.
A reminder about bear repellant: It’s best to buy it at your destination. Bear repellent is prohibited in the cabin of an aircraft. You can pack bear repellent in your checked bag if the volume is less than four ounces and if it has less than a two percent active ingredient of either CS or CN. The two cans pictured above were discovered in a carry-on bag at Anchorage.
This 12-ounce container of lighter fluid was detected in carry-on bag at Anchorage (ANC). Lighter fluid is prohibited in both carry-on and checked baggage.
This pack of firecrackers were discovered in ca carry-on bag at Boise (BOI). Fireworks are prohibited from being packed in carry-on and checked bags.
Clockwise from the top, these items were discovered in carry-on bags at DAL, SAN, SNA, PHX, ORF, DTW, LAS and ATL.
When packed properly, ammunition can be transported in your checked baggage, but it is never permissible to pack ammo in your carry-on bag.This ammo was discovered in a carry-on bag at Tulsa (TUL).

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 2014 Year in Review post! If you haven’t read them yet, make sure you check out our year in review posts for 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Follow @TSA on Twitter and Instagram!

Bob Burns
TSA Social Media Team





Posted by Bob Burns (TSA Blog Team) at 10/31/2015 12:01:00 PM

http://blog.tsa.gov/2015/10/tsa-week...-firearms.html