A Colts Neck, N.J., man was arrested after TSA officers detected this loaded gun in his carry-on bag at Newark Liberty International Airport on March 24. (TSA photo)
NEWARK, N.J. – A Colts Neck, N.J., man told officials that he did not know he had a loaded gun in his backpack when Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Newark Liberty International Airport intercepted the gun, which was packed in the man’s carry-on bag on Monday, March 24. The 9mm gun was loaded with five bullets.
When TSA officers detected the firearm, they contacted Port Authority Police and moved all of the other passengers who were in the security lane to another lane, while police responded, confiscated the gun and arrested the man.
“When someone shows up with a gun at our checkpoint, it inconveniences other travelers who are waiting to be screened,” explained Thomas Carter, TSA’s Federal Security Director for New Jersey. “The traveler was arrested, and he’ll now face a stiff financial civil penalty, so he’s paying the price for his mistake. However, what is often forgotten is that a firearm at a checkpoint inconveniences other travelers in the line, which has a ripple effect at our checkpoint by increasing the amount of time travelers need to wait in line to be screened while the incident is resolved.”
Firearms caught at Newark Liberty International Airport checkpoints, 2018 to 2025
| Year | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023
| 2024
| 2025 (As of 3-24-25) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guns caught at Newark Liberty International Airport checkpoints |
14 |
11 |
11 |
12 |
14 |
20 |
21 |
6 |
“Travelers always need to know the contents of their carry-on bag prior to coming to the security checkpoint and know that there is nothing illegal or prohibited inside,” Carter added.
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.
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.
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.