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It happened early in the morning on Wednesday, March 22, the Transportation Security Administration said in a release. A Hamburg Borough woman was passing through the X-ray unit at the security checkpoint when agents found the gun, they said.
The weapon, "a .380 caliber handgun," was loaded with seven rounds when seized by TSA, authorities wrote. The woman told security officers she forgot that she had the firearm in her carry-on bag, they added.
Also seized on Wednesday was a 9mm handgun discovered in the carry-on of a Philadelphia man, TSA continued. Both travelers were cited by airport police and could face steep fines, the agency noted.
So far in 2023, TSA has seized nine firearms from travelers at the Philly airport, officials said. That number has steadily risen in recent years, from 20 in 2019 to reach 44 in 2022, according to TSA data.
Travelers are permitted to fly with their firearms, but they must be unloaded, packed in checked luggage, and carried in a hard-sided, locked case, federal authorities said.
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