NJ Woman Had Gun Hidden In Suitcase Lining At Newark Airport: TSA

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Police arrested an Essex County woman at Newark Liberty International Airport last weekend after TSA agents found a loaded handgun hidden in the lining of her suitcase at a security checkpoint, authorities said.

The incident took place on Saturday, according to the TSA, which released the following statement about the arrest:

“The handgun was detected when the TSA officer who was staffing a checkpoint x-ray monitor spotted the weapon inside the woman’s carry-on bag. When the bag was searched, the gun was found to be artfully concealed behind the lining of her bag. TSA officials alerted Port Authority police, who confiscated the handgun and arrested the woman, a resident of Orange, N.J., on weapons charges.”

The gun, a .38 caliber revolver, was loaded with five bullets. The woman claimed that she didn't know whose gun was in her bag, TSA officials said.

According to the TSA, the gun was the 11th seized at a Newark Airport checkpoint this year. Read More: Guns At Checkpoints Are 'Alarming' Trend At Newark Airport, Feds Say

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

According to the TSA:

“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.”

Last year, TSA officers detected 5,972 guns at security checkpoints nationwide; 86 percent of them were loaded, authorities said.

• See related article: Here's How Many Guns Are Seized At Newark Airport Every Year

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site. Don’t forget to visit the Patch Newark Facebook page.