The loaded revolver was "artfully" concealed in the Orange, NJ, woman's carry-on, Transportation Security Administration Spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said.
A TSA officer staffing a checkpoint X-ray monitor alerted Port Authority police, who seized the six shooter and the woman, Farbstein said.
It was the 11th gun picked off at a Newark TSA checkpoint so far this year, she said.“This is a fine example of how we use the technology available to us to help ensure that guns are stopped before someone tries to carry one onto their flight," said Thomas Carter, TSA’s federal security director for New Jersey. "In addition to her arrest, this woman also faces a stiff federal financial civil penalty.”
Passengers can travel with firearms only in checked baggage and if they're properly packaged and declared at their airline ticket counter, Farbstein said.
They must be unloaded in a hard-sided locked case that's packed separately from ammunition, she said. The locked case should be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared.
The TSA has been adding resources to try and help people avoid such trouble, Farbstein noted.
CLICK HERE: Security/Screening: What Can I Bring?
You can also download the TSA App from Google Play or the App Store.
OR: You can tweet or message “@AskTSA” if you're unsure whether an item is allowed through security in a carry-on bag. Just snap a picture or send a question and get real-time assistance weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and weekends from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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