This firearm was detected in a carry-on bag at Newark Liberty International Airport on August 6. (TSA photo)
NEWARK, N.J. – A Westchester County, N.Y., man was arrested by police on Tuesday (August 6), when Transportation Security Administration officers at Newark Liberty International Airport intercepted a firearm among the man’s carry-on items. The handgun was accompanied by a magazine loaded with five bullets.
The TSA officer detected the handgun at a checkpoint in Terminal B as the man’s carry-on items entered the checkpoint X-ray machine. Port Authority Police were alerted, confiscated the firearm, and arrested the man, a resident of Bedford, N.Y. He was ticketed to fly into Nice, France.
“When planning for a flight, especially an international flight, travelers really need to pay attention to the items that they have inside their carry-on bags,” explained Thomas Carter, TSA’s Federal Security Director for New Jersey. “Carrying a gun into an airport checkpoint introduces risks to everyone in the area. Responsible owners of firearms know where their guns are at all times, and they know not to bring them to airport checkpoints. In addition to being arrested, this individual now faces a hefty federal civil penalty that could cost him thousands of dollars.”
Carter praised the TSA officers for their good catch. “This summer has been the busiest period of travel that our agency has seen, and I commend our officers for remaining focused on the mission during this busy time."
The federal penalty for bringing a weapon to a TSA checkpoint can cost as much as $15,000, depending on the circumstances. TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns and firearm parts with them at a checkpoint. This applies to individuals with or without concealed gun carry permits because even though an individual may have a concealed carry permit, it does not allow for a firearm to be carried onto an airplane. The complete list of civil penalties is posted online. If a traveler with a firearm is a member of TSA PreCheck®, that individual will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges.
TSA firearms catches at airport checkpoints at Newark Liberty International Airport, 2018 to 2024
|
Year |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 (As of 8/6/24) |
|
Guns caught at Newark Liberty International Airport checkpoints |
14 |
11 |
11 |
12 |
14 |
20 |
12 |
Guns can be transported on a flight if they are unloaded, packed in a locked, hard-sided case and declared to the airline. The airline will be sure that the gun travels with checked baggage in the belly of the plane, never in the cabin of the plane. However, individuals who are planning to travel internationally, should check with the weapons laws of the country that they are planning to enter to determine if they are permitted to be in possession of a firearm.
TSA reminds people to always know the contents of their carry-on bag prior to coming to the security checkpoint. TSA has multiple resources available to help determine whether an item is permitted in carry-on baggage, checked baggage, either or neither. Travelers can use the “Can I Bring?” feature on the TSA website or on the free downloadable myTSA app. Travelers can also tweet to @AskTSA or send a text message (275-872) if they have a travel question or are unsure if an item is allowed through security in a carry-on bag. Just snap a picture or send a question and get real-time assistance.