BOISE, Idaho - Officers with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at the Boise Airport have discovered two guns in two days during the routine screening of carry-on baggage.
A TSA officer found the first firearm - a .38 caliber Smith & Wesson revolver loaded with six rounds of ammunition - at 4:45 a.m. Sunday. The gun was in the carry-on bag of a male passenger ticketed for travel to Las Vegas McCarran International Airport.
The second gun - a 9 mm Smith & Wesson M&P firearm loaded with seven rounds of ammunition - was discovered Monday around 8:20 a.m. It was found in the carry-on bag of a female passenger traveling to Denver International Airport.
In both instances, when the TSA officer saw the image of the firearm on the X-ray screen, the Boise Police Department was notified and responded to the security checkpoint. These are the first and second firearms of 2018 discovered at the Boise Airport’s security checkpoint. In 2017, TSA officers in Boise discovered 29 guns in carry-on baggage.
“Rules regarding the transportation of firearms are not new and there is no excuse for bringing a firearm to the security checkpoint in carry-on luggage,” said Andy Coose, TSA federal security director for Idaho. “TSA will continue to hold passengers accountable for their actions. Mistakes like this are not only inconvenient, they can also be expensive.”
In addition to facing local or state criminal charges, TSA reserves the right to levy a civil penalty of up to $9,800 for bringing a dangerous weapon like a firearm to the checkpoint. Each penalty is evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Firearms, ammunition, firearm parts and realistic replicas of firearms are always prohibited in carry-on baggage. However, these items can be transported in checked baggage provided the traveler declares them to the airline during the ticket counter check-in process.
Firearms in checked baggage must be unloaded and stored in a locked, hard-sided container. TSA urges passengers to contact their airline for specific firearm and ammunition policies and to check local laws related to the carrying and transport of firearms.
TSA reminds passengers to be aware of the contents of their carry-on bag prior to coming to the security checkpoint. TSA’s website has details on how to properly travel with a firearm.