BOISE—What do a grenade, stun gun and a bowling pin have in common? They all made the list for top 10 prohibited items detected by TSA officers in Idaho during 2022.
A knife necklace, police baton, replica ammunition, whiskey stones, belt knife, training or replica firearm, nail gun and ceremonial sword also made the list this year.
“What this represents is the hard work that our officers do every day in keeping the American people safe,” Idaho Federal Security Director Andrew Coose said Tuesday during a press conference at the Boise Airport. “Some of these things are kind of unusual in a way to us, but they’re not really that unusual in terms of what’s found every day in airports all across the United States.”
Idaho Federal Security Director Andrew Coose talks with members of the media, holding samples of replica ammunition, during a press conference at Boise Airport on Tuesday. The faux ammo was only one example of the many items found by the TSA that airline passengers attempted to get through security in 2022.
Hammers and drill bits come through pretty frequently, according to TSA training instructor Albert Krakowski. He also said knives are stopped by the TSA every day.
“It’s pretty obvious why we don’t want these on board the aircraft,” Coose said.
According to Coose, each of these items, apart from the grenade, can be packed in checked luggage. When travelers are not allowed to take items as carry-ons, the airport offers the option of mailing the item somewhere—but most of the time, travelers simply abandon the property, Coose said.
A selection of items, found by the TSA at Boise Airport, on display during a press conference on Tuesday.
“When in doubt, check it out. Go online, look up whether or not some item that you’re curious about can go on the plane or not,” Coose said.
While the list seems comical, there are more alarming items people walk through the airport with.
“In 2022, TSA saw more than 6,500 firearms in carry-on luggage at airports nationwide. Forty of those were discovered at the checkpoint behind me—that’s a very high number for an airport this size,” TSA Spokesperson Lorie Dankers said.
When officers see the image of a firearm on the X-ray, all screening stops and airport law enforcement is immediately notified.
“What happens to the firearm and what happens to the traveler is up to law enforcement discretion, but one thing is for sure: that firearm is not allowed in the sterile area of the airport and it’s not allowed in the cabin of the aircraft,” Dankers said.
TSA will also levy a civil penalty of up to nearly $15,000 on a traveler who brings a firearm, Dankers said. However, travelers can bring firearms with them through checked baggage.
At some airports, people are bringing more than one loaded firearm in their luggage, Dankers said. Those with concealed carry permits, she said, are often under the impression that they can bring a firearm in carry-on luggage.
“There is no reason to bring your gun in your carry-on luggage,” Dankers said.











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