Five weapons were found in April at checkpoints in Ohio's Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) in April, including a loaded gun on April 28, the U.S. Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) reported May 2.
“Passengers must remember they’re responsible for the contents of bags and our advice is they thoroughly inspect all personal belongings to make sure there are no illegal or prohibited items before coming to the airport," Ohio TSA Federal Security Director Don Barker said in the news release, “This simple act could save you lots of time and money, along with avoiding possible arrest with local law enforcement.”
TSA agents found nine weapons at CLE checkpoints through the end of april, the news release reports; 35 guns were seized in 2022. TSA announced this past December that as of Dec. 16, it had discovered 6,301 firearms nationwide; nearly 90% were loaded. In response to the record increase of firearms found, the maximum civil penalty for a firearms violation was increased to $14,950, and passengers in possession of firearms will lose TSA PreCheck eligibility for five years, according to the release. Penalty amounts are determined by the circumstances of each case, the TSA reports.
"Firearm possession laws vary by state and local government, but firearms are never allowed in carry-on bags at any TSA security checkpoint, even if a passenger has a concealed weapon permit," TSA states in the news release.
Passengers are allowed to travel with firearms in checked baggage if they are unloaded, packed separately from ammunition in a locked hardback case, and formally declared at the airline check-in counter. State and local regulations on firearm ownership differ, so travelers should research the local firearm regulations in the countries they are flying to and from.
“I applaud the work of our Transportation Security Officers who do an excellent job of preventing firearms from getting into the secure area of airports, and onboard aircraft,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said in the news release.
“Firearms are prohibited in carry-on bags at the checkpoint and onboard aircraft," Pekoske said. "When a passenger brings a firearm to the checkpoint, this consumes significant security resources and poses a potential threat to transportation security, in addition to being very costly for the passenger.”
The TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm, and encourages travelers to contact their airline for any additional requirements it has for traveling with firearms and ammunition.
