SOUTH BOISE, Idaho — The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) displayed a collection of Top 10 prohibited items discovered at security checkpoints in 2023.
- Items include a sharp-edged hatchet, a hot sauce bottle designed to look like a grenade, and other contraband.
- Firearms detected at security checkpoints can result in a penalty up to $14,950 among other civil penalties.
- 47 firearms were detained at TSA in the state of Idaho in 2023.
- You can check if your items are carry-on approved here
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
What do ninja stars, hatchets, and hot sauce all have in common? Well, you can't travel with them when you fly. But, people still try.
TSA is showcasing some of the most unusual items removed from carry-on bags in Idaho in 2023.
"A hatchet—this came to the checkpoint here behind me at Boise Airport. That hatchet is sharp on multiple edges. I don't know what that traveler was thinking when they put a hatchet in their carry-on, but thanks to our TSA officers, we didn't have to encounter that in the cabin of the aircraft," say Lorie Dankers with TSA.
Other confiscated contraband includes a hot sauce bottle designed to look like a grenade, edged letter openers, and a transmission gear that belongs in the engine of a car.
Most of these items can be shipped to your final destination to avoid a fine. However, when it comes to firearms, "I forgot" doesn't cut it. Travelers who attempt to bring a gun through security will be detained by law enforcement immediately and can face a fine of almost $15,000.
In 2023, 47 firearms were caught at security checkpoints, and the most common excuse?
"I forgot it. It was in the bag. I didn't know it was there. I packed for this trip suddenly. That's the number one thing that we hear. Arrests are not that common because, again, the issue of intent has to be manifest. It's fairly rare you ever see an arrest," says Andrew Coore, Federal Security Director.
Traveler and gun owner Matt Eskelson calls the mistake careless but is not surprised by the number of people who have done it.
"I'm sure there's quite a few,” says Eskelson.
