TSA Week in Review: Loaded .32 Caliber Pistol Found in Lining of Carry-on Bag

Handgun in Lining of Bag – Officers at Seattle (SEA) discovered a .32 caliber pistol loaded with six rounds in the lining of a carry-on bag.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Black Powder Pellets – 22 black powder pellets along with 69 primers were discovered after Officers resolved an alarm in checked baggage at Salt Lake City (SLC).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inert Grenades Etc. – We continue to find inert hand grenades and other weaponry on weekly basis. Please keep in mind that if an item looks like a bomb, grenade, mine, etc., it is prohibited - real or not. When these items are found at a checkpoint, they can cause significant delays. I know they are cool novelty items, but it is best not to take them on a plane. Read here and here on why inert items cause problems.

 

 

  

• A grenade shaped candle was discovered at Myrtle Beach (MYR) in the carry-on bag of a passenger.

Stun Guns – Eight stun guns were discovered in carry-on bags at checkpoints around the nation: Minneapolis (MSP), St. Louis (STL), San Francisco (SFO), Denver (DEN), two at Baltimore (BWI), Pittsburgh (PIT), and Washington Dulles (IAD)

Miscellaneous Prohibited Items - In addition to all of the other prohibited items we find weekly, our Officers also regularly find firearm components, realistic replica firearms, bb and pellet guns, Airsoft guns, brass knuckles, ammunition, batons, and a lot of sharp pointy things -- to mention a few… 

 

Firearms - Here are pictures of some of the firearms our Officers found in carry-on baggage since I posted last Friday. See a complete list below.

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 throughput 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.

Bob Burns

TSA Blog Team

If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact us by clicking here.

Camera Incident in Puerto Rico: Not TSA

A story has been in the news this week about a passenger who alleged that a TSA officer confiscated his camera and deleted the footage. While TSA understands it’s hard at times to distinguish our officers from law enforcement or other officials, the person who took the camera from the passenger in Puerto Rico was not a TSA employee. TSA did not tamper with the camera or erase any of its content. Additionally, the individual that appears in the video being circulated is not a TSA employee.

For your review, our photo policy is located on our blog as well as at TSA.gov. 

Bob Burns

TSA Blog Team

If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact us by clicking here.

The New & Improved TSA.gov

If you’ve been to TSA.gov in the last few days, you’ve probably noticed that we have a new look! If not, be sure to check it out. But… while you’re taking it for a test drive, please be aware that content is still being migrated to our new page; therefore, there may be a few things you may not be able to locate. So, please excuse this minor disruption during construction and thank you for your patience.

On a related note, it has been perceived that we rescinded our photo policy. Our photo policy has not changed and is located here as well as on our blog

Bob Burns

TSA Blog Team

If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact us by clicking here.

TSA Week in Review: 16 oz. Can of Black Powder Discovered at Anchorage

Black Powder - While resolving an explosives alarm in Anchorage (ANC), Officers discovered a 16 oz. can of black pack powder in checked baggage along with 1,400 primers. 

Grenades Discovered at Glacier Park

Inert Grenades Etc. – We continue to find inert hand grenades and other weaponry on weekly basis. Please keep in mind that if an item looks like a bomb, grenade, mine, etc., it is prohibited - real or not. When these items are found at a checkpoint, they can cause significant delays. I know they are cool novelty items, but it is best not to take them on a plane.  Read here and here on why inert items cause problems.

• 3 inert grenades were discovered in checked bag at Glacier Park (GPI) resulting in an evacuation of the baggage room as well as the public side of the airport. Some news reports cited the grenades as “Halloween props”, but to our Officers, they looked like 3 live grenades. 
•  An inert training detonator was discovered during a pat-down search after a Charleston (CHS) passenger alarmed the body scanner. The passenger was an instructor who forgot the item was in his pocket.

Detonator Discovered at Charleston

Items in the Strangest Places –It’s important to check your bags prior to traveling. If a prohibited item is discovered in your bag, you could be cited and possibly arrested by local law enforcement. Here are a few examples from this week where prohibited items were found in strange places.

• A switchblade and a boot knife were detected under the lining of a carry-on bag at Washington Dulles (IAD).
• A belt buckle knife was discovered at Las Vegas (LAS).

What Not to Say at an Airport – Statements like these not only delay the people who said them but can also inconvenience many other passengers if the checkpoint or terminal has to be evacuated:

• As a gate agent was approaching an unattended bag at El Paso (ELP), the owner of the bag stated “I better get it before it explodes.”

Stun Guns –  Four stun guns were discovered in carry-on bags at checkpoints around the nation: Pensacola (PNS), Dallas Love (DAL), Chicago Midway (MDW), and Roanoke (ROA).

Miscellaneous Prohibited Items - In addition to all of the other prohibited items we find weekly, our Officers also regularly find firearm components, realistic replica firearms, bb and pellet guns, Airsoft guns, brass knuckles, ammunition, batons, and a lot of sharp pointy things -- to mention a few… 

Discovered at Albany (ALB)

Firearms - Here are pictures of some of the firearms our Officers found in carry-on baggage since I posted last Friday. See a complete list below. 

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 throughput 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.

Bob Burns

TSA Blog Team

If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact us by clicking here.