TSA Announces Last Week's Prohibited Items
The Transportation Security Administration's blog highlighted some of the more interesting, drastic or downright confusing items found last week on airline passengers passing through airport security checkpoints.
The blog's top picks include:
Ecstasy: According to the blog, a passenger opted out of going through a body scanner at Los Angeles International airport, but a TSA officer came across a bulky area during the pat-down. Although the passenger insisted it was nothing out of the ordinary, the officer discovered 1000-2000 hits of ecstasy in the passenger's undergarments. The blog says, "We're not looking for drugs, but until we figure out what the item is, we have to assume it would be dangerous. When we find narcotics, we have to report them."
Live Grenade: An officer at Dallas/Fort Worth International airport discovered a grenade in a carry-on bag. The blog states that TSA officers find a lot of inert and fake grenades, but this was a live, 40-mm high explosive dual purpose projectile. But according to the blog, the passenger had no nefarious intent. It states that the passenger was a soldier who had made a mistake, and no charges were filed.
Multi-use Pistol: A revolver was found at Mobile Regional Airport in Alabama that can shoot both .45 founds and .410 shotgun shells. Nineteen miscellaneous guns were also found at other airports across the country. Sixteen of them were loaded.
Deadly Hairbrush: In Phoenix, Ariz., a hairbrush was found that could be pulled apart to reveal what the blog called "a molded plastic implement of death," or a plastic spike.
Miscellaneous: TSA officials also found a knife concealed as a belt buckle, a small saw blade, a garrote, "firearm components, a shocking amount of stun guns, brass knuckles, a plethora of knives, ammunition and batons," the blog says. Other items found include: nunchucks, a "cat eyes punching weapon" and a box cutter concealed under the metal spine of a binder.
The blog also gave several examples of what not to say at an airport checkpoint:
In LaGuardia, a passenger stated: "I have a torpedo in my brassiere," when there was no torpedo.
In Las Vegas, a chivalrous passenger asked: "Why are you harassing this innocent woman when you just let me through with a tube of plastic explosives?" There were no plastic explosives.
According to the blog, "This is a friendly reminder to please leave these items at home. Just because we find a prohibited item on an individual does not mean they had bad intentions, that's for the law enforcement officer to decide. In many cases, people simply forgot they had these items in their bag. That’s why it’s important to double check your luggage before you get to the airport."
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