NEWARK, N.J. (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) — A Westchester man was meant to fly to France out of Newark Liberty International Airport on Tuesday, but was instead arrested when Transportation Security Administration officers found a gun and loaded magazine in his carry-on bag.
The gun was spotted at a Terminal B checkpoint when it passed through the X-ray machine, and TSA officers alerted Port Authority Police who responded, confiscated the gun and magazine containing five bullets and arrested the man originally slated for Nice.
“Responsible owners of firearms know where their guns are at all times, and they know not to bring them to airport checkpoints,” TSA Federal Security Director for New Jersey Thomas Carter said. “In addition to being arrested, this individual now faces a hefty federal civil penalty that could cost him thousands of dollars.”
The federal penalty for bringing a weapon to a TSA checkpoint can reach $15,000, depending on the circumstances. TSA also reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers carrying weapons, which can reach $10,700 for a first offense and include a criminal referral.
This applies to even those with a concealed weapons permit, and any TSA PreCheck member violating the rules will have that status revoked.
As of Tuesday, 12 guns have been caught by Newark Airport TSA thus far in 2024. A total of 20 were recovered last year.
Guns are able to be transported on a flight, TSA said, as long as they are unloaded, packed in a locked, hard-sided case and declared to the airline. In this situation, airline officials can ensure the gun travels in the belly of the plane, with the checked luggage, and never reaches the cabin.
“This summer has been the busiest period of travel that our agency has seen, and I commend our officers for remaining focused on the mission during this busy time,” Carter said.