Most airline travelers are aware of what is and what isn’t allowed onboard the aircraft, so that our passage through the checkpoints manned by agents of the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) are routine and stress free. But, that apparently hasn’t discouraged some would-be rule breakers from attempting to smuggle all sorts of unusual and illegal items through the checkpoints. I suppose it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise considering that, post pandemic, the agency is routinely screening more than 2 million passengers each day now at nearly 440 airports nationwide. Officials reported earlier this year they confiscated a record 6,301 firearms from passengers last year, more than 88 per cent of which were loaded. But, that’s not all. TSA has compiled a list of the 10 most egregious and oddest items that were snatched or surrendered at airports during 2022. Let’s take a look.
Several months ago, authorities seized 12,000 suspected fentanyl pills that had been stuffed inside candy boxes at Los Angeles International Airport, as reported by the LA County Sheriff’s Department. At about 7:30 AM local time on October 19, a suspect attempted to pass through security with several large bags of "candy and miscellaneous snacks,” the sheriff’s department said. It was then discovered that the bags of candy which included wrappers for Skittles, Whoppers and SweeTarts, were filled with pills believed to be fentanyl. The suspect fled before they could be apprehended, but authorities added they had been identified and “the investigation is ongoing.” Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is 50 times more powerful than heroin. According to
the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were more than 107,000 drug overdoes in the nation in 2021, with synthetic opioids like fentanyl accounting for two-thirds of those or about 71,000.
TSA caught an air traveler in November who had allegedly stashed a firearm inside a raw chicken in a bid to get the weapon through security at the Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport. In a pun-laden post to its Instagram account, the agency said the bizarre attempt was foiled when eagle-eyed agents spied the handgun wrapped in tape and placed inside the bird’s cavity The chicken was then hidden inside the traveler’s carry-on luggage. “We hate to break it to you here, but stuffing a firearm in your holiday bird for travel is just a baste of time,” TSA said in the humorous post. It added: “This idea wasn’t even half-baked; it was raw, greasy and obviously unsupervised. The only roast happening here is this poor packing choice.”
While we’re on the subject of firearms, agents at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport got into a sticky situation - literally. A Rhode Island man was arrested after TSA officers discovered parts of a disassembled semi-automatic handgun disguised within two jars of peanut butter in his luggage, as per a news release from the TSA. The agency claimed a checked bag containing the peanut butter jars triggered an alarm in an x-ray unit on December 22. Closer inspection revealed the gun parts, wrapped in plastic and “jammed” into two jars of JIF-brand peanut butter. “The gun parts were artfully concealed in two smooth creamy jars of peanut butter, but there was certainly nothing smooth about the way the man went about trying to smuggle his gun,” said John Essig, TSA’s Federal Security Director for JFK Airport, in the release. “Our officers are good at their jobs and are focused on their mission—especially during the busy holiday travel period.” Travelers planning to bring firearms onto a plane must have the proper permits, declare their weapons and pack them according to TSA guidelines. The civil penalty for attempting to bring undeclared weapons onto a flight can be as high as $15,000.
Agents found three electric cattle prods stuffed inside a passenger’s carry-on guitar case in September at Dulles International Airport near Washington, DC. A TSA spokesperson at the time noted that, although the cattle prods were not allowed in the carry-on for obvious reasons, the passenger was permitted to repack them into a checked bag. Another incident occurred earlier at the Milwaukee General Mitchell International Airport on July 29 after a hand grenade was found. TSA screeners discovered the grenade in a search of a carry-on bag at 2:42 PM, after which Milwaukee County Sheriff’s deputies were contacted, along with a member of the department’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team. Members from the force were able to determine the grenade was “inert and posed no danger.” Further investigation revealed the owner of the bag had just acquired the grenade at a show and was unaware the weapon could not be transported. The owner was later issued a citation and may face charges. TSA has since advised the public their agents would not know a grenade is inert until they can take a closer look. And that slows down the security checkpoint and can lead to an airport shutdown and evacuation.
With drug-detecting methods becoming more sophisticated, traffickers have devised ever more creative ways to avoid detection. In one incident, officers at Idaho’s Boise Airport uncovered clear bags with white powder and a number of pills hidden inside hair scrunchies. Although it’s not clear when the bust was actually made, the agency confirmed the passenger never made it onto the plane and was instead handed over to the police. Another would-be traveler was attempting to carry a laptop through security at the Richmond International Airport in Virginia That in itself is not at all unusual, but when the TSA security detector lit up for a second time, agents began to slowly examine the laptop. They disassembled it and found a double-edged knife that had been concealed inside the computer. The individual had taped the knife in the laptop's inner workings. Surprisingly, in this instance, he was permitted to continue his travels after the knife was confiscated.
At the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in mid-December, TSA officers found a handgun inside a gaming console as the passenger was attempting to pass through the security checkpoint. In their social media post, the agency declared, tongue-in-cheek, “It’s never an idea rated E for everyone to pack firearm parts or guns in a carry-on bag. We’re not about to console anybody’s feelings on the topic either. Without going into graphic detail, gun parts, firearms and ammunition must be placed in checked bags. You’ll control your travel destiny by declaring these items with your airline and ensuring they are packaged properly.” And finally, at the El Paso International Airport in Texas, a TSA official found soiled money packed in a pair of crutches. While there is no limit on the amount of cash passengers can carry on a domestic flight, officers can report evidence of criminal activity, such as drug trafficking and money laundering. The fact that the money was soiled and stashed inside crutches (which are also legal to bring on a plane) indicates that it could have been related to illegal activity.
Last year, TSA screened approximately 761 million passengers and crew at airports nationwide. The agency reminds passengers to be aware of the contents of their carry-on bags before coming to airport security. They have multiple resources available to help travelers determine whether an item is permitted in carry-on baggage, checked baggage or not at all. Even if you’re a seasoned traveler, it’s helpful to periodically review the “What Can I Bring” section of the TSA Web site. You can access it here.
Until next time…safe travels.
Whoops - reminds me of a time I was flying with several bottles of Bacardi 151 in my hand luggage - and then read in the in-flight information leaflets that they were not allowed ... Gulp!