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A TSA officer detected the 9mm handgun and the 30 rounds of ammo at they passed through a Terminal A security checkpoint X-ray machine in the Newark resident's carry-on bag on Saturday, May 25, the Transportation Security Administration's Lisa Farbstein said.
Port Authority police were summoned and seized the gun, ammo and traveler, she said.
In addition to criminal charges, he faces up to $15,000 in civil penalties, she said.
Bringing an entire security checkpoint to a dead stop until the gun and the carrier are turned over to PAPD police -- during Memorial Day weekend, no less -- really messes with people's travel plans, said Thomas Carter, TSA’s federal security director for New Jersey.
Claiming you didn’t know the weapon was there doesn’t wash. Just makes you look irresponsible, he said.
“There is absolutely no excuse for bringing a firearm to one of our checkpoints,” Carter said. "Responsible gun owners know this.”
Makes no difference whether or not you have a concealed carry permit, he said.
SEE: Civil Penalties For Trying To Carry A Gun Aboard A Plane
“My best advice is that when you’re ready to pack, start with an empty bag,” Carter said.
This way, he said, “you know with certainty what you’ve got inside and you know that there is nothing prohibited in a side pocket, zippered pouch or just in the bottom of your bag....That goes for backpacks, roller bags, handbags, messenger bags and duffle bags."
You may bring a gun in a checked bag if it's properly packaged and declared at the airline ticket counter, the TSA NJ director said.
Guns must be unloaded, placed in a hard-sided locked case and packed separately from ammunition, he said. The locked case must be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared.
SEE: TSA Guidelines For Properly Traveling With A Firearm
Small arms ammunition (up to .75 caliber and shotgun shells of any gauge) must be packaged in a box made of fiber (such as cardboard), wood, plastic, or metal specifically designed to carry ammunition. That, too, must be declared.
Travelers cannot use firearm magazines or clips for packing ammunition unless they completely enclose the ammunition. Travelers should check with their airline for ammo quantity limits.
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