TSA officers caught this loaded handgun at the Portland International Jetport checkpoint yesterday, October 30. (TSA photos)
PORTLAND, ME – An Androscoggin County, Maine, woman was caught with a 9 mm handgun loaded with six bullets at Portland International Jetport on Wednesday, October 30, after Transportation Security Administration officers at the airport stopped her from bringing it past the checkpoint and onto an airplane.
TSA officers, who spotted the gun when the woman’s purse entered the checkpoint X-ray machine. They contacted the airport police, who arrived at the checkpoint, confiscated the gun and detained the woman, a resident of Minot, for questioning. She told officials that she forgot that she had her loaded gun with her. The gun was tucked into an outer pocket of the purse. It marked the first gun that TSA officers in Portland have detected so far this year.
Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms only in checked baggage if they are properly packaged and declared. Firearms must be unloaded, packed in a hard-sided case, locked, and packed separately from ammunition. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality.
Nationwide last year, 4,239 firearms were discovered in carry-on bags at checkpoints across the country, averaging about 11.6 firearms per day, approximately a 7% increase nationally in firearm discoveries from the total of 3,957 detected in 2017. Eighty-six percent of firearms detected at checkpoints last year were loaded and nearly 34% had a bullet in the chamber.
As a reminder, individuals who bring firearms to the checkpoint are subject to possible criminal charges from law enforcement. Even travelers with concealed firearm permits are not allowed to bring guns onto airplanes in their carry-on bags. If an individual is a TSA Pre✓® member, then that person could even lose TSA Pre✓® status. In addition, TSA has the authority to assess civil penalties of up to $13,333 for weapons violations. A typical first offense for carrying a handgun into a checkpoint is $4,100. The complete list of penalties is posted online.
TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website. Travelers should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.