A New Jersey man faces charges after officers found an antique handgun in his carry-on luggage, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
The firearm, a .22-caliber handgun, was found inside the bag Thursday at Newark Liberty International Airport, the TSA said. The antique revolver pistol was not loaded and was discovered inside the carry-on as it went through the security checkpoint's x-ray machine.
Port Authority Police were alerted and went to the Terminal C checkpoint to confiscate the gun before arresting the man, who lives in Verona.
"Travelers need to pay more attention to the items that they have inside their carry-on bags," said Thomas Carter, the TSA’s Federal Security Director for New Jersey. "Travelers are responsible for the contents of their carry-on bags. In addition, responsible gun owners know where their firearms are at all times and they know not to bring them to a security checkpoint."
The civil penalty for bringing a weapon to a TSA checkpoint can be up to $15,000 depending on the circumstances, according to the agency.
Thursday's discovery was the ninth gun caught by TSA agents at Newark Airport thus far in 2024.
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