Two passengers were arrested Monday in Newark Airport after Transportation Security Administration officers caught an assault rifle with a high-capacity magazine and an arsenal of ammunition -- all illegal in the state -- "artfully concealed" behind the lining of a suitcase.
According to TSA, the discovery was made Monday while officers were conducting screening operations of checked baggage at Newark Liberty International Airport’s Terminal C.
When the TSA officers detected the weapon and ammunition, they immediately alerted the Port Authority Police, who tracked down the passenger, a resident of East Orange, and her traveling companion, who were in the terminal near their departing gate.
Police confiscated the weapon and ammunition and arrested both individuals.
“Our TSA officers are very skilled at detecting firearms and other prohibited items,” said Tom Carter, TSA’s Federal Security Director for New Jersey. “In this case, they detected an assault rifle, which is illegal in New Jersey; a high-capacity magazine, which is also illegal in New Jersey; four boxes of hollow-point bullets, again, illegal in New Jersey; three magazines, one of which was fully loaded; and two additional boxes of rifle ammunition."
Carter went on to say: "This was an incredibly good catch on the part of our officers because the traveler attempted to evade detection by concealing the items beneath the lining of his suitcase.”
