TSA Confiscates… Well, They Don’t Really Know What This Thing Is

The TSA seized a peculiar object from a passenger’s carry-on at in Baltimore, but does anyone know what it actually is?

They might not know exactly what this little thing is, but the TSA is certain that it didn’t belong on a plane. The blade-like object was confiscated this week after it was discovered in a traveler’s carry-on bag at Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI).

The TSA posted a photo of the mini blade — which boasts eight vicious-looking spikes — on its Instagram account Tuesday alongside:

#TSAGoodCatch – We don’t actually know what this is, but it was discovered in a carry-on bag at the #Baltimore – #Washington (#BWI) International Thurgood Marshall Airport. Any ideas?

Since the photo’s uploading, it’s received thousands of views and hundreds of comments. One grateful follower said, “Looks scary to me. Thanks TSA for all you do.”

While the TSA may have been at a loss when it came to identifying the item, the agency’s Instagram followers swiftly identified it as a miniature replica, possibly a keychain, of the axe wielded by a character from the popular “League of Legends” video game.

Replica or not, the photo of the five-inch blade has gained some notoriety on social media. But if the agency’s Instagram feed is anything to go by, this is just one of the many bizarre objects seized by the TSA in recent months. Among the strange recent seizures were billhook knives, inert grenades and a Batarang.

As with so many of the objects seized by the agency, this mini blade was carefully concealed within the owner’s bag. While the TSA discourages travelers from attempting to fly with prohibited objects, the agency recently reminded travelers that replicas such objects are also prohibited, stating in a recent blog post: “Please keep in mind that if an item looks like a real bomb, grenade, mine, etc., it is prohibited … Even if they are novelty items, you are prohibited from bringing them onto an aircraft.”

[Photo: TSA Instagram]