TSA Week in Review: July 22 - August 4

Thursday, August 8, 2019
Firearm Cover

Sorry I missed you all last week. Sometimes you just need some down time. While I was off, our officers were busy stopping dangerous items from making their way on to commercial aircrafts. Below are some of the items they stopped.

In July we found 389 firearms which is 5 fewer firearms than last year. Yay?!

Between July 22 and August 4, TSA screened 36.3 million passengers and found 157 firearms in carry-on bags. Of the 157 firearms discovered, 135 were loaded and 57 had a round chambered.

Don’t pack your firearm in your carry-on bag. Bringing a firearm to the security checkpoint may lead to a civil penalty of up to $13,333 or an arrest. And if you’re a TSA Pre✓® member, you could lose your status. Check out our transporting firearms and ammunition page to learn how to pack it properly.

See all firearm discoveries from July 22 to August 4 in this chart.

Concealed Knife

When I give flowers to my fiancé, it’s usually to send the message that I love her. I wonder what message this passenger was trying to send? I love you, but… In any case, concealing a prohibited item from TSA officers may lead to an arrest or civil penalty. Plus, knives are allowed in your checked bag. I can guarantee that the civil penalty will be more than the cost of a checked bag. This was discovered at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on July 23.

Grenade

Can you tell which grenades are fake and which are real? It’s difficult right? This is why we don’t allow any item that resembles an explosive device through security. When we discover a suspected explosive device we call in our experts. This takes time and can lead to delays and missed flights. Don’t be that person and just leave your ‘nades at home.

Pictured above top row:

  • TSA officers at Orlando International Airport discovered a grenade turned into a bottle opener on July 25.
  • Two empty hand grenades that were used for training were found Fort Smith Regional Airport in Arkansas on July 26.
  • An empty grenade discovered at Newark Liberty International Airport on July 27.

Pictured above bottom row:

  • An empty grenade was located during screening at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport on July 25.
  • Officers found an empty grenade on August 3 at O’Hare International Airport.
  • A smoke grenade was discovered at Palm Springs International Airport on August 4.
LGA Knives

I always have trouble deciding on which shirt to wear on vacation and end up packing more than I need. So I get this passenger’s frustration. However, knives must be packed in your checked bags. The good news is that we don’t have any limits on the amount you can bring. These knives were found in a single carry-on bag at LaGuardia Airport on July 28.

Our mission at TSA is to do everything in our power to make sure you get to your destination safely by keeping dangerous items off planes. The most common explanation we hear from travelers for prohibited items is “I forgot it was in my bag.” Don’t be that person. Save yourself some money and embarrassment and thoroughly check your bags for prohibited items before heading to the airport.

So come prepared! For a list of prohibited items, be sure to use the What Can I Bring? tool. If you have questions about the security process, reach out to AskTSA on Twitter or Facebook. Our AskTSA team will happily answer even the most outlandish travel-related questions.

Want to know how many firearms we found last year? Check out our 2018 blog post.

Also, don’t forget to check out our top 10 most unusual finds video for 2018.

Want to learn more or see the other wacky finds? Follow us @TSA on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook.

Jay Wagner

About This Blog

The purpose of this blog is to share the latest news and helpful information with the public. If you have questions about TSA or the information presented here, please contact our AskTSA customer care team on Twitter or Facebook.

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