• A man carrying An assault rifle and 163 rounds of ammunition was caught.
• More passengers are attempting to bring firearms through airport security.
• TSA intercepted a record 6,542 weapons at airport checkpoints across the United States.

An assault rifle and 163 rounds of ammunition taken from a man about to board a plane in New Orleans on Valentine’s Day is an example of a trend identified by US officials.

More passengers are attempting to bring firearms through airport security in some parts of the country.

According to the TSA, while 2022 was a record year for guns discovered at US airport screenings, 2023 may possibly surpass it.

Police in Seattle, Washington, D.C., and Indianapolis have all issued a warning.

Last year, the TSA intercepted a record 6,542 weapons at airport checkpoints across the United States. Around 88% of them were armed.

Travelers are allowed to pack unloaded firearms inside checked luggage that typically goes into an aircraft’s hold. They are also required to tell the airline they intend to travel with weapons at check-in.

Yet, even if a person obtains a concealed weapon permit, weapons are not permitted in carry-on luggage or passenger cabins.

The TSA intercepts weapons at airport security checkpoints and reports that some airports are experiencing an increase in numbers that is ahead of comparable levels from last year.

The 14 February discovery in New Orleans was remarkable because of the quantity of ammo seized; it was the second gun captured at the city’s airport that day.

Single week, three weapons

In a single week in January, three weapons passed through a TSA screening at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. In one week, four different loaded firearms were discovered at Indianapolis International Airport.

“It’s disturbing that so many Indianapolis passengers have made the irresponsible decision to bring a firearm to the checkpoint in just the first month of the year,” says Aaron Batt, TSA’s Federal Security Director for Indiana.

TSA authorities in Seattle reported 11 weapons discovered before the end of January, up from seven discovered by the same period in 2022.

“This is not a new issue,” says Brian Schihabel, TSA Federal Security Director for Nebraska. “But, it is one that must be addressed because the number of firearms passing through our security checkpoints has reached an alarming level.” He believes that the increasing numbers will serve as a wake-up signal to individuals who choose to travel with firearms.

The TSA increased the maximum civil penalty for a firearms violation to $14,950 (£12,419) last year. Violators may also be arrested, have their guns confiscated, and have their TSA PreCheck privileges canceled for at least five years.

Yet numbers continue to go up. The TSA has intercepted more firearms every year since 2010 except for 2020 when the pandemic slowed travel worldwide.

Experts suspect part of the problem may be simple to explain.

“What we see in our checkpoints really reflects what we’re seeing in society,” TSA administrator David Pekoske told the Associated Press. “In society, there are more people carrying firearms nowadays.”

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