Record-Setting Pace For Gun Seizures At Newark Airport, TSA Says

NEWARK, NJ — Federal officials say that Newark Airport is on a “record-setting” pace for gun seizures so far in 2025.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers detected a 9mm handgun among the carry-on items of a Hopelawn resident on Friday, authorities said.

When TSA officers detected the firearm, they contacted Port Authority police, who confiscated the gun and arrested the man.

“We have seen a lot of handguns showing up at our security checkpoints so far this year,” said Thomas Carter, TSA federal security director for New Jersey.

“This marked the seventh firearm that our officers have prevented from being carried onto a flight [in 2025],” Carter said. “At this rate, we will surpass last year’s record-setting number of guns intercepted at the checkpoints.”

It would be a milestone that the TSA would like to avoid, he added.

“We would prefer to see fewer travelers bringing guns to our checkpoints than set a new record,” Carter said.

According to the TSA, guns can be transported on a flight if they are unloaded, packed in a locked, hard-sided case and declared to the airline. The airline will be sure that the gun travels with checked baggage in the belly of the plane – never in the cabin of the plane.

Here are some other things that gun owners should keep in mind, the TSA says:

“The federal penalty for bringing a weapon to a TSA checkpoint can cost as much as $15,000, depending on the circumstances. TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns and firearm parts with them at a checkpoint. This applies to individuals 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. If a traveler with a firearm is a member of TSA PreCheck, that individual will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges.”

The TSA has multiple resources available to help determine whether an item is permitted in carry-on baggage, checked baggage, either or neither, authorities said. Travelers can use the “Can I Bring?” feature on the TSA website or on the free downloadable myTSA app. Travelers can also tweet to @AskTSA or send a text message (275-872) if they have a travel question or are unsure if an item is allowed through security in a carry-on bag.

• See Related: Man Caught With Turtle In Pants At NJ Airport Checkpoint
• See Related: Unusual Item Seized At Newark Airport Made TSA ‘Top 10 List’ For 2024
• See Related: K-9 Dog At Newark Airport Sniffs Out Suspicious 'Swine Sausages'
• See Related: Newark TSA Agents Return Lost $40,000 Chinese Painting
• See Related: Strange Finds At NJ Airport: Saw Blades, Marijuana Candy, Meat Cleavers

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.