A handgun was seized at Minot International Airport in August when a TSA agent spotted it while X-Raying a carry-on bag.
It was the third gun discovered by security agents at airports in North Dakota this year.
Jim Olson reports that illegal items – other than guns – are commonly intercepted by agents at the airport.
(Jim Olson, KX News) Here’s what the TSA agent saw as he inspected the bag that held a handgun last month. But it’s not just guns that trigger action by the TSA to reject baggage.
(Lorie Dankers, TSA Spokeswoman) “Every day we come across prohibited items that passengers have brought to the security checkpoint.”
(Jim Olson, KX News) In fact the items on this table have been confiscated by the TSA at Minot’s airport in just the past six weeks.
(Lorie Dankers, TSA Spokeswoman) ” They are not allowed through the security checkpoint because they’re not allowed in the cabin of the aircraft – it’s just that simple.”
(Jim Olson, KX News) There are several classifications of prohibited items – such as tools
(Lorie Dankers, TSA Spokeswoman) “Rules for tools are pretty simple – if your tool is more than seven inches in length, it’s not allowed in your carry on bag and will not be allowed through the checkpoint.”
(Jim Olson, KX News) And that includes power tools – like a saws all.
(Lorie Dankers, TSA Spokeswoman) “Exactly right – so you could put the blade in here and it’s a heavy tool as well.”
(Jim Olson, KX News) Also not allowed? Martial arts items such as this- called a cat’s eye.
(Lorie Dankers, TSA Spokeswoman) “You can poke somebody in the eye – it could be a safety issue.”
(Jim Olson, KX News) Of course you can’t bring guns into the cabin of the plane – but you also can’t bring realistic toy guns
(Lorie Dankers, TSA Spokeswoman) “If someone was to pull this out of a bag, others might not know it’s a replica they might think it’s a live firearm and that would cause some panic.
(Jim Olson, KX News) Same goes for ammunition – even a single round – not allowed.
Also prohibited? Heavy things that could be used to bludgeon someone. Like this juggling pin.
(Lorie Dankers, TSA Spokeswoman) “I’m not sure if our juggler just had a single one of these but it was in their carry on and not allowed in the cabin.”
(Jim Olson, KX News) And you can’t bring a knife or anything with a blade into the plane’s cabin. Something small like this credit card knife is outlawed – as is something large like a hunting knife.
(Lorie Dankers, TSA Spokeswoman) “Clearly if you sitting next to someone with this it could make you very nervous.”
(Jim Olson, KX News) Dankers says the best way to avoid having something confiscated from your bag is to spend a few minutes at home, preparing for your flight.
(Lorie Dankers, TSA Spokeswoman) “Every single thing here could have been placed in checked baggage and in every case a passenger could have arrived at their destination with these items.”
(Jim Olson, KX News) From knives to juggling pins to sawsalls, just remember to put them in your checked bags. At Minot International Airport, Jim Olson, KX news.
Items confiscated by the TSA do not become property of the agent or even of the TSA.
They are turned over to government surplus where most often they are auctioned off.
