Transportation Security Administration officers found two guns in passengers’ carry-on luggage at two Idaho airports Thursday morning. The discoveries were made during routine screenings at the security checkpoint, TSA officials said.
TSA officers discovered the first gun about 6 a.m. the Magic Valley Regional Airport in Twin Falls. A female passenger ticketed for travel to Salt Lake City International Airport had a .380 caliber P-238 pistol loaded with seven rounds of ammunition in her carry-on bag.
Four hours later, TSA officers at the Boise Airport found a .40 caliber Sig Sauer gun loaded with ten rounds of ammunition in a man’s carry-on bag. He was traveling to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
It is not believed that the two incidents are related, the TSA said.
In each instance, when the TSA officer saw the firearm image on the x-ray screen, TSA notified local law enforcement -- which responded to the security checkpoint. In the Twin Falls incident, passenger was not cited. At the Boise Airport, the Boise Police Department cited the passenger on the charge of having a firearm at a checkpoint.
This is the first firearm TSA has discovered this year in carry-on luggage at the Twin Falls airport; it is the ninth firearm discovered at the Boise Airport,” said TSA spokeswoman Lorie Dankers.
Nationwide in 2016, TSA says it has found more than 2,000 guns in carry-on bags at airport security checkpoints.
“These incidents serve as reminders that individuals are responsible for what that they bring to the security checkpoint. TSA advises passengers to look through their bags thoroughly before coming to the airport to make sure there are no illegal or prohibited items,” Dankers stated.
Individuals who bring firearms to the checkpoint are subject to possible criminal charges from law enforcement and civil penalties from TSA of up to $7,500.
