Creative carry-on contraband caught by TSA
12/02/2015 5:45 am PST
The Transportation Security Administration catches many items every year going through the country's airports. Luckily the agency maintains a blog about their finds.
We've reviewed some of the more memorable artifacts in search of the most unusual. What we found were weapons -- lots and lots of weapons. And some drugs.
Here's a selection of some of the more creative carry-on caches of contraband caught by the TSA.
Guns and ammo
A single round of .22 caliber ammunition was detected inside a bottle of medical cream at Miami (MIA).
An unloaded cannon barrel was discovered with a passenger's checked items at the Kahului Airport (OGG).
16 stun guns were discovered in one week in carry-on bags around the nation. Two were discovered at LaGuardia (LGA), two more at Kansas City (MCI), and the remainder at Billings (BIL), Borinquen (BQN), Washington Dulles (IAD), Cleveland (CLE), Fayetteville (FAY), Las Vegas (LAS), Los Angeles (LAX), Chicago Midway (MDW), Minot (MOT), Minneapolis - St. Paul (MSP), Phoenix (PHX), and Tucson (TUS).
A homemade avalanche control charge was discovered in a carry-on bag at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC).
Spear gun found in carry-on bag in Las Vegas (LAS).
Hidden in food
An 8.5” knife was discovered in an enchilada at the Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport (STS).
A San Jose International Airport (SJC) passenger was arrested after nearly three pounds of cocaine was discovered in his checked baggage wrapped inside a package of raw meat.
After being screened by Advanced Imaging Technology, a small jar of peanut butter with marijuana inside was discovered above the waistband of a Sacramento (SMF) passenger.
Blades. So many blades
Razorblades were discovered concealed in a greeting card at Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport (PHF).
A concealed double edge knife inside a comb was discovered at San Francisco (SFO). Credit-card knives are also frequently found around the country.
An anomaly was detected with Advanced Imaging Technology in the center chest area of a Philadelphia (PHL) passenger. After a pat-down, a pen and highlighter combo was discovered that was concealing small knives.
Batman throwing knives found in Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD).
A belt buckle knife was discovered at Saipan (GSN) on the Saipan Island in the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
A pendant knife was found at Jacksonville International Airport (JAX).
Lipstick knife found at Denver International Airport (DEN).
Knife in chip bag found at Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport (LBB) in Texas.
Knife discovered inside a neck pillow at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL).
Roundup
When TSA officers at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) opened a checked bag for a routine inspection, they discovered many household items, like baby wipes, coffee, lemonade mix, and a box of cat litter. After a closer look, they found two disassembled .40 caliber handguns, 350 rounds of ammunition, and 58 bricks of marijuana (33 pounds) concealed in the products. The traveler was arrested on state charges by the Port Authority Police.
