This week in TSA history starting January 1, 2016
Feb 9, 2016, 12:07 pm
#17
Moderator: Smoking Lounge; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: Lifetime (for now) Gold MM, HH Gold, Giving Tootsie Pops to UA employees, & a retired hockey goalie
Posts: 28,878
TSA Week in Review: January 29th - February 4th
EXTRA! EXTRA! Get your guns and knives right here! EXTRA! EXTRA!
http://blog.tsa.gov/2016/02/tsa-week...uary-29th.html
- 62 firearms were discovered last week in carry-on bags
- A cane sword was discovered in a passenger’s carry-on property at Philadelphia (PHL)
- Knives were discovered at ITO, BUF, ORD. ORD and DAL
http://blog.tsa.gov/2016/02/tsa-week...uary-29th.html
Feb 9, 2016, 12:23 pm
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: DFW
Posts: 28,128
EXTRA! EXTRA! Get your guns and knives right here! EXTRA! EXTRA!
http://blog.tsa.gov/2016/02/tsa-week...uary-29th.html
- 62 firearms were discovered last week in carry-on bags
- A cane sword was discovered in a passenger’s carry-on property at Philadelphia (PHL)
- Knives were discovered at ITO, BUF, ORD. ORD and DAL
http://blog.tsa.gov/2016/02/tsa-week...uary-29th.html
And Bobbie even posted the Friday recap before Tuesday!
Feb 18, 2016, 9:00 am
#19
Moderator: Smoking Lounge; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: Lifetime (for now) Gold MM, HH Gold, Giving Tootsie Pops to UA employees, & a retired hockey goalie
Posts: 28,878
TSA Week in Review:February 5 - 11
Maybe the wireless mouse drug mule needed a shave? 
http://blog.tsa.gov/2016/02/tsa-week...uary-5-11.html
- 51 firearms were discovered last week in carry-on bags
- 3 inert grenades (1 at PHX & 2 at FLL) were discovered
- Two artfully concealed razors were discovered (one tucked into a hatband & a straight razor was detected in a shoe) the same day at LaGuardia (LGA) on two different passengers.
- A small bag of cocaine was discovered concealed in the battery compartment of a wireless mouse at Charlotte (CLT).
- A pen knife was discovered in carry-on bag at Oakland (OAK).
- A mini-pistol crossbow in their carry-on bag at Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP)
- Saw blades and knives were discovered at ATL, AUS, AUS, CHO, EWR, and EWR
http://blog.tsa.gov/2016/02/tsa-week...uary-5-11.html
Feb 18, 2016, 9:03 am
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: DFW
Posts: 28,128
Maybe the wireless mouse drug mule needed a shave?
http://blog.tsa.gov/2016/02/tsa-week...uary-5-11.html
- 51 firearms were discovered last week in carry-on bags
- 3 inert grenades (1 at PHX & 2 at FLL) were discovered
- Two artfully concealed razors were discovered (one tucked into a hatband & a straight razor was detected in a shoe) the same day at LaGuardia (LGA) on two different passengers.
- A small bag of cocaine was discovered concealed in the battery compartment of a wireless mouse at Charlotte (CLT).
- A pen knife was discovered in carry-on bag at Oakland (OAK).
- A mini-pistol crossbow in their carry-on bag at Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP)
- Saw blades and knives were discovered at ATL, AUS, AUS, CHO, EWR, and EWR
http://blog.tsa.gov/2016/02/tsa-week...uary-5-11.html
Feb 18, 2016, 11:29 am
#21
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP...couple hotels and cars too
Posts: 4,548
You can be sure there were hi fives and attaboys handed out.
Feb 19, 2016, 2:05 am
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: An NPR mind living in a Fox News world
Posts: 14,165
I was thinking the same thing. How can a plastic bag of dry powder the size of an AA battery possibly require a WEI check?
Feb 19, 2016, 10:44 am
#23
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP...couple hotels and cars too
Posts: 4,548
A 'fake battery', perhaps that unscrews, or just something in the compartment, will look odd on xray. The same item, tossed into a toilet kit, or a knick knacks bag, would have aroused no suspicion.
But, once they say "yup. cocaine", they then held the person in custody until a LEO could arrive. It is my understanding that just possessing suspected drugs is in and of itself a 'security risk', which is how they get away with this.
Feb 19, 2016, 11:26 am
#24
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,526
A battery has a unique appearance on xray. I am not surprised AT ALL that TSA looks at large blocks of dense battery innards very carefully. Yes an AA is small, btu they are trained to look at batteries- AND when something is off, flag it.
A 'fake battery', perhaps that unscrews, or just something in the compartment, will look odd on xray. The same item, tossed into a toilet kit, or a knick knacks bag, would have aroused no suspicion.
But, once they say "yup. cocaine", they then held the person in custody until a LEO could arrive. It is my understanding that just possessing suspected drugs is in and of itself a 'security risk', which is how they get away with this.
A 'fake battery', perhaps that unscrews, or just something in the compartment, will look odd on xray. The same item, tossed into a toilet kit, or a knick knacks bag, would have aroused no suspicion.
But, once they say "yup. cocaine", they then held the person in custody until a LEO could arrive. It is my understanding that just possessing suspected drugs is in and of itself a 'security risk', which is how they get away with this.
Feb 19, 2016, 11:39 am
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: DFW
Posts: 28,128
Seems the only way a TSA screener would know if something is an illegal drug is by having had illegal contact with those drugs.
Feb 19, 2016, 10:21 pm
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, MM, NR; HH Diamond, Bonvoy LT Gold, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Diamond, others
Posts: 12,159
But it just happens that drugs look like explosives to the xray machines.
Yeah, right.
Feb 20, 2016, 5:52 am
#27
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Greensboro
Programs: TSA
Posts: 2,424
A battery has a unique appearance on xray. I am not surprised AT ALL that TSA looks at large blocks of dense battery innards very carefully. Yes an AA is small, btu they are trained to look at batteries- AND when something is off, flag it.
A 'fake battery', perhaps that unscrews, or just something in the compartment, will look odd on xray. The same item, tossed into a toilet kit, or a knick knacks bag, would have aroused no suspicion.
But, once they say "yup. cocaine", they then held the person in custody until a LEO could arrive. It is my understanding that just possessing suspected drugs is in and of itself a 'security risk', which is how they get away with this.
A 'fake battery', perhaps that unscrews, or just something in the compartment, will look odd on xray. The same item, tossed into a toilet kit, or a knick knacks bag, would have aroused no suspicion.
But, once they say "yup. cocaine", they then held the person in custody until a LEO could arrive. It is my understanding that just possessing suspected drugs is in and of itself a 'security risk', which is how they get away with this.
Cocaine does not necessarily pose a security risk, but TSOs are obliged to contact local LEOs when they find items that appear to be illegal items (like marijuana or cocaine).
In some cases, that is exactly what happens. Large organic items trigger bag checks. In some cases, small organic items trigger bag checks.
Feb 20, 2016, 7:58 am
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: DFW
Posts: 28,128
[QUOTE]
Do you agree that TSA screeners are not allowed a fishing expedition to find drugs?
Are TSA screeners trained in illegal drug identification?
And in some cases TSA screeners search for non-WEI.
This is actually pretty close to the answer. When there is something that looks different (such an organic where one is not normally found), it is searched to make certain it is not a threat item.
Cocaine does not necessarily pose a security risk, but TSOs are obliged to contact local LEOs when they find items that appear to be illegal items (like marijuana or cocaine).
Cocaine does not necessarily pose a security risk, but TSOs are obliged to contact local LEOs when they find items that appear to be illegal items (like marijuana or cocaine).
Not quite. There are several other ways that TSOs and any number of citizens can be familiarized with different types of illicit drugs - many of them legal.
In some cases, that is exactly what happens. Large organic items trigger bag checks. In some cases, small organic items trigger bag checks.
Feb 22, 2016, 9:42 am
#29
Moderator: Smoking Lounge; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: Lifetime (for now) Gold MM, HH Gold, Giving Tootsie Pops to UA employees, & a retired hockey goalie
Posts: 28,878
TSA Week in Review: February 12 - 18
Anyone need a shave?
http://blog.tsa.gov/2016/02/tsa-week...ary-12-18.html
- 53 firearms were discovered this week in carry-on bags
- Two inert mortar shells were discovered in a checked bag at Longview (GGG).
- A cane sword was discovered in a traveler’s carry-on property at Pensacola (PNS).
- Marijuana, a metal pipe, a spoon, a lighter and a hair clip was discovered in a shaving cream can with a false bottom in a cry-on bag at Las Vegas (LAS)
- Various knives and a sword were discovered at LAS, AUS, AUS, IAH, PHX, IAH and TYR.
http://blog.tsa.gov/2016/02/tsa-week...ary-12-18.html