Smoke grenade that someone had in his checked baggage at Washington Dulles International Airport on Monday, Sept. 28. (TSA photo)
DULLES, Va. – Transportation Security Administration officers at Washington Dulles International Airport detected a live military smoke grenade in a traveler’s checked baggage earlier this week.
As the checked bag was screened, it triggered an alarm and was diverted for additional screening, resulting in the need for a TSA officer to inspect the contents of the bag to ensure that there was no threat item inside. Upon opening the baggage, a TSA officer came across a military smoke canister labeled “Smoke/Yellow” with a triggering device at the top similar to those on hand grenades. The canister was olive green with bright yellow on the top.
TSA officials notified the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority Police who located the passenger and told officials that he had purchased the canister at a military surplus store several years ago and he believed it was inert. A TSA explosives specialist and the state police bomb squad examined the item and the bomb squad removed it from the airport. The item was determined to be a live smoke grenade.