Gun Seizures At NJ Airport: How Many Firearms Were Detected In 2021?

NEWARK, NJ — When a traveler gets caught with a gun at an airport checkpoint, it may not necessarily be with criminal intent. But it can be a very expensive mistake to make – and completely avoidable, federal officials say.

Over the past five years, there have been dozens of “firearm catches” at Newark Liberty International Airport checkpoints, according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

As of March 8, there have been three such incidents this year at Newark Airport. Previous totals include:

• 2017 – 6
• 2018 – 14
• 2019 – 11
• 2020 – 11
• 2021 – 12

It isn’t only a problem at Newark Airport, officials said. Last year TSA officers detected 5,972 guns at security checkpoints nationwide – and 86 percent of them were loaded.

There are plenty of case examples that any traveler with a gun should take note of, TSA officials say.

On March 17, police arrested a Las Vegas resident after TSA officers prevented him from carrying a loaded handgun onto his flight at Newark Airport.

According to authorities, the handgun was seized when the TSA officer who was staffing a checkpoint X-ray monitor in Terminal A spotted the weapon inside the man’s backpack. TSA then alerted Port Authority police, who confiscated the handgun and arrested the man on weapons charges.

The man told officials that he had driven from his home in Las Vegas to Connecticut, and brought his handgun with him in his backpack for the drive. He said he planned to fly back home, but forgot that he had his loaded gun with him.

“If you own a firearm, you really need to be aware of where it is at all times,” said Thomas Carter, the TSA’s federal security director for New Jersey.

“That’s simply part of being a responsible gun owner,” Carter added. “Not only has he been arrested, but he also faces a stiff federal financial penalty. It was a very expensive mistake to make.”

Another arrest took place on March 8 at Newark Airport, when TSA officers prevented a woman from New Orleans from carrying a handgun onto her flight.

Authorities said the .40 caliber gun wasn’t loaded, but was accompanied by a gun magazine with five bullets. It was spotted inside one of the woman’s carry-on bags by a TSA officer operating the checkpoint X-ray monitor. TSA officers then alerted Port Authority police, who confiscated the handgun and arrested the woman on weapons charges.

The woman told officials that she was running late for her flight and didn’t have enough time to transport the firearm in a checked bag, federal authorities said.

“Running late for a flight is no excuse for bringing a gun to a security checkpoint,” Carter said. “If you want to transport your gun for your flight, you need to take the time to properly pack it, just like you take the time to pack your other items for a trip.”

That means packing your unloaded firearm in a hard-sided locked case and then taking it to the airline check-in counter to declare it, Carter added. The airline will ensure it is transported in checked baggage.

The TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website.

Here are some other things to keep in mind, TSA officials said:

“Bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint carries a federal civil penalty because TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns and gun parts with them at a checkpoint. Civil penalties for bringing a handgun into a checkpoint can stretch into thousands of dollars, depending on mitigating circumstances. This applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits because even though an individual may have a concealed carry permit, it does not allow for a firearm to be carried onto an airplane. The complete list of civil penalties is posted online. Additionally, if a traveler with a gun is a member of TSA PreCheck, that individual will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges.”

Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality and passengers should do their homework to make sure that they are not violating any local firearm laws. Travelers should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition, the TSA stated.

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