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TSA Reveals the Craziest Items Flyers Attempted to Smuggle Aboard Planes in 2016

From Bat-a-rangs to smoke bombs and from Chinese throwing stars to crossbows, this year passengers made some very ill-advised choices when packing their carry-on bags.

Each week, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) takes stock of the bizarre and prohibited items that screeners were forced to confiscate at airport security checkpoints across the US and this year, the agency found more than a few guns. So far, the agency is on track to seize a record number of handguns this year – topping the 2,653 firearms discovered in 2015. Last year, screeners discovered an average of seven prohibited handguns each day.

“Just because we find a prohibited item on an individual does not mean they had bad intentions,” the TSA cautions. “That’s for the law enforcement officer to decide. In many cases, people simply forgot they had these items.”

While it is somewhat surprising that passengers are showing up to the airport with firearms in such large numbers (either on purpose or by accident), the list of other prohibited items that passengers tried to sneak onboard flights is perhaps even more surprising. So, the next time it feels as if the security line isn’t moving at all, someone at the front of the line with a sword-cane like this one spotted by screeners at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) or this one at Pensacola International Airport (PNS) just might be to blame.

Of course, this novelty pistol crossbow discovered at Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP) probably slowed the line down a little as well. The inert mortar shells found in a checked bag at East Texas Regional Airport (GGG) also likely raised alarm bells.

Then, there are the items one would suppose are rare until learning that the TSA routinely finds them in passengers’ personal items. Apparently Bat-a-rangs aren’t just for superheroes anymore. The TSA was forced to confiscate the comic book inspired weapons in separate incidents at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), Chicago O’Hare International Airport and (ORD)Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport (CHO). Likewise, brass knuckles, like the ones labeled “Drink, Fight, F**k” intercepted at Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR) have been confiscated from passengers at dozens of US airports. Blades hidden in combs, like this not-so-clever-item seized at San Diego International Airport (SAN), have become almost as commonplace as throwing knives and throwing stars, like this weapon supposedly hidden in a homemade mobile phone case at Ontario International Airport (ONT).

In 2016, passengers were also stopped attempting to bring chainsawsinert grenadesa spear guna hand-carved tomahawk, and even bear spray onto flights.

Perhaps passengers carrying dangerous contraband were simply trying to bring along weapons to defend themselves in case they encountered a comic book villain, like the flyer who tried to bring this barbed wire-wrapped baseball bat (aka “Lucille”) or this bullet-studded gas mask on a passenger plane.

[Photo: Shutterstock]

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chx1975 December 28, 2016

Not. A. Single. Terrorist. Were. Stopped.