FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Loaded Magazine Found in Carry On Bag - Consequences?
Old Nov 24, 2017, 8:58 am
  #4  
Section 107
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: WAS
Programs: enjoyed being warm spit for a few years on CO/UA but now nothing :(
Posts: 2,497
Originally Posted by Boggie Dog
Unknowns. Possible fine from TSA, although I don't see ammo listed as a stand alone item. Loss of Pre Check but if TSA made no written report perhaps not. Status of your CCL will depend somewhat on what the police report. You may see no negative actions.

https://www.tsa.gov/travel/civil-enforcement
TSA itself does not press criminal charges; it will refer the case to local (almost always) or federal (rarely) law enforcement for determination of pressing criminal charges. You are fortunate that the police officer did not want to process criminal charges.

However, ammunition and magazines are definitely prohibited in carry-on baggage and are treated the same as firearms or firearm parts in regards to civil penalties. The details of your incident will be sent to the Special Enforcement Program Office which will determine if a violation of regulations occurred and then issue a notice of violation and assessment of civil penalty, if appropriate; this may take several or many weeks. If you do receive a violation notice there will not be a court hearing but you will have to decide if you want to challenge it through administrative hearings. You probably should consult an attorney if you do get a violation notice as it might affect other aspects of your work/personal life (such as security clearances, restraining orders, etc.) A completely different office that oversees Pre-check will be notified of the incident; you can be assured you will lose expedited screening privileges for at least some period of time and you will most probably start receiving the dreaded SSSS on your boarding passes for a period of time.

As for your CCL, as Boggie said, that status will depend upon the actions of the state that issued it; which in turn depends upon how much, if any, information the state receives from TSA or others about the incident.

There is a small chance the leprechaun in your pocket at the time that convinced the police officer to do nothing might still work some magic and nothing at all happens. But I wouldn't count on it.
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