Boxes of ammunition that were removed from a woman’s carry-on bag by TSA officers at JFK International Airport on May 10. (TSA photo)
NEW YORK — Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at John F. Kennedy International Airport stopped a Nassau County, N.Y., woman from carrying nearly 400 bullets onto her flight on Tuesday, May 10. The variety of bullets were packed in nine boxes and included ammunition for shotguns and handguns including 12 gauge, .308 caliber, .223 caliber and 9 mm.
TSA officers notified the Port Authority Police who responded to the checkpoint, confiscated the ammunition and issued the woman a citation.
The woman, a resident of Hicksville, N.Y., told officials that the ammunition belonged to her son and that she grabbed the wrong bag when she headed to the airport for her flight. That quantity of ammunition carries quite a bit of weight and nine boxes take up a significant amount of space in a carry-on bag.
“This is an excellent opportunity to remind travelers that it is always best to start with a completely empty bag when packing for a flight to ensure that you don’t have any prohibited items inside,” said John Bambury, TSA’s Federal Security Director for JFK International Airport. “Not only is it important to know that you have not packed anything prohibited or illegal into your luggage, it is just as important to know which bag is yours to ensure you are familiar with its contents.”
This woman now faces a Federal civil penalty for bringing ammunition to the security checkpoint. TSA has information on the proper way to transport firearms and ammunition for a flight posted on its website.