TSA detects handgun and ammunition concealed in woman’s carry-on bag at LaGuardia Airport

NEW YORK - A Florida woman was arrested by police after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at LaGuardia Airport detected her handgun and ammunition artfully concealed among the woman's carry-on items. TSA officers removed a .25 caliber handgun that had been shoved inside a boot; seven bullets that were hidden inside a package of make-up wipes; and a gun magazine concealed inside a sock on Saturday, April 27, during routine checkpoint screening operations.

It was the fifth gun that TSA officers have detected at the airport checkpoints so far this year.

The weapons and ammunition were caught as the woman, a resident of Hollywood, Fl., entered the security checkpoint. The X-ray unit alerted on the items concealed in her carry-on bag. TSA officials notified the Port Authority Police who confiscated the gun, ammunition and gun magazine and arrested the woman on a weapons charge.

In addition to the citation by airport police, this individual now faces a stiff financial civil penalty. Civil penalties for carrying weapons can reach a maximum of $15,000.

Bringing guns to checkpoints is a serious security violation and this individual can expect to receive a federal fine that will be in the thousands of dollars because it is obvious by the way the woman attempted to conceal her gun and ammunition that she knew that firearms are not permitted through a checkpoint, otherwise there was no reason for her to attempt to conceal the gun and bullets in the manner in which she attempted to do so.

TSA firearms catches at LaGuardia Airport checkpoints, 2018 to 2024

Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms only in checked baggage if they are unloaded and packed in a hard-sided locked case. Then the locked case should be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website.

Bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint also carries a federal civil penalty because TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns and gun parts with them at a checkpoint. Civil penalties for bringing a gun into a checkpoint can stretch into thousands of dollars, depending on mitigating circumstances. The complete list of civil penalties is posted online. Additionally, if a traveler with a gun is a member of TSA PreCheck®, that individual will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges.

Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality and individuals who want to travel with their gun should do their homework to make sure that they are not violating any local firearm laws. Travelers should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.

Unsure if an item should be packed in a carry-on bag, checked bag, either or neither? Download the free myTSA app, which has a handy "What can I bring?" feature that allows you to type in the item to find out if it can fly. Or ask on Twitter or Facebook Messenger at @AskTSA. Travelers may send a question by texting "Travel" to AskTSA (275-872).