Figure 1: Smith & Wesson 380 firearm discovered by TSA Sunday afternoon at MHT. One round was chambered.
MANCHESTER, N.H. – Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers stopped a woman from Denison, Texas, from carrying a loaded firearm onto an airplane at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) on Sunday, June 15. This was the second firearm detected this year by TSA officers at an MHT security checkpoint.
On Sunday afternoon, during routine security screening, TSA officers detected a firearm in a female passenger’s carry-on bag. TSA immediately notified the Londonderry Police Department who responded and discovered a loaded Smith & Wesson 380 firearm, with one round chambered and five rounds in the clip.
Police secured the firearm, and the 29-year-old missed her flight.
“TSA's mission is to ensure the safety and security of all passengers. Bringing a loaded firearm through a security checkpoint poses a serious safety risk,” said TSA’s Federal Security Director for New Hampshire, Elizabeth Selecky. “Passengers traveling with firearms must properly pack them in their checked bag. Firearm detections slow or shut down security screening until the police resolve the incident.”
TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who bring guns and gun parts to the checkpoint. A typical first offense for carrying a loaded gun into a checkpoint is $3,000 and can go as high as $17,062, depending on any mitigating circumstances. A complete list of civil penalties is available on TSA.gov. These penalties apply to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits. Additionally, travelers caught with firearms at the checkpoint will lose TSA PreCheck® privileges for up to five years.
Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage if they are unloaded, packed separately from ammunition in a locked hardback case and declared at the airline check-in counter.
For more information on traveling with firearms, please see TSA’s firearms requirements: Prepare. Pack. Declare. Travelers should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.