Next time you're traveling, make sure you've packed carefully and avoided including any firearms in your carry-on luggage.
On Friday, Jan. 23, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revealed that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) seized 2,212 firearms in 2014 from carry-on luggage at airports across the United States, with 83 percent of those confiscated were loaded.
"In 2014, 2,212 firearms were discovered in carry-on bags at checkpoints across the country, averaging over six firearms per day. Of those detected, 83 percent were loaded," reported the DHS.
This number is a new record and a 22 percent increase from the 1,813 guns discovered at checkpoints in 2013. By comparison, the number of seized guns in 2011 and 2012 were 1,320 and 1,556, respectively.
The weapons that the TSA apprehended from passengers' carry-on luggage included a loaded folding-stock rifle with two loaded magazines and an assault rifle with three loaded magazines. Both these guns were seized at airports in Dallas.
The top five airports that seized the most firearms in 2014 are the following:
Dallas/Fort Worth International: 120 guns seized
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport: 109 guns seized
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport: 78 guns seized
Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport: 77 guns seized
Denver International Airport: 70 guns seized
The TSA also found over 1,400 firearm components, stun guns, replica firearms and other hazardous items in carry-on luggage. The agency screened over 443 million checked-in luggage and 1.7 billion carry-on luggage in 2014.
"This is critically important work, and our employees' achievements are self-evident: in 2014, the TSA screened more than 650 million passengers, nearly 1.8 million each and every day," noted Jeh Johnson, DHS secretary.
The most common excuse given by people is that somebody else packed their luggage or they forgot they were carrying it.
Federal law prohibits carrying firearms and other dangerous objects into airports. Passengers who are found to be in possession of firearms are apprehended by TSA security during screening and may be arrested by airport authorities or local police. These passengers also stand to face criminal charges and also civil penalties imposed by the TSA.
"TSA continues to enhance its layered security approach through state-of-the-art technologies, improved passenger identification techniques, and best practices to strengthen transportation security across all modes of transportation," the agency said.
