ALBANY, N.Y. - A man was arrested at Albany International Airport (ALB) Monday night, March 27, after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers caught the man trying to carry a loaded.45 caliber semi-automatic handgun past a security checkpoint. Not only was the gun loaded, but the man also had an extra ammunition magazine for a total of 14 bullets.
It marked the first gun that TSA officers have detected at ALB so far this calendar year. Last year, TSA officers at ALB saw two guns show up at the checkpoint.
TSA officers detected the gun among the man’s carry-on items as he was entering the airport checkpoint. TSA officers contacted the Albany County Sheriff’s Department, who responded to the checkpoint, confiscated the firearm and arrested the man on a weapons charge. There was no impact to airport operations.
As a reminder, firearms, firearm parts and ammunition-are not permitted in carry-on bags, but can be transported in checked bags if they are unloaded, properly packed and declared to the airline. Travelers who bring firearms to the checkpoint are subject to possible criminal charges from law enforcement and civil penalties from TSA of up to $12,000.
Passengers are responsible for the contents of bags they bring to the security checkpoint, and TSA’s advice to passengers is to look through bags thoroughly before coming to the airport to make sure there are no illegal or prohibited items. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality and travelers should familiarize themselves with state and local firearm laws for each point of travel prior to departure.
TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on TSA.gov. Airlines may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition. Travelers should also contact their airline regarding firearm and ammunition carriage policies.
Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration
