This handgun was detected by TSA officers at the Norfolk International Airport checkpoint on Friday, November 13th. (Photo courtesy TSA.)
Norfolk, Va. – A traveler was stopped by Transportation Security Administration officers at the Norfolk International Airport checkpoint with a .40 caliber handgun and 50 rounds of ammunition in his carryon bag on Friday.
It marked the 14th gun that TSA officers have detected at Norfolk so far this calendar year—double the number that were caught at the checkpoint during all of 2014.
TSA officers detected the gun, which was unloaded along with a box of 50 bullets, as the traveler was passing through the airport checkpoint. The TSA officer who was staffing the checkpoint X-ray machine saw the handgun and ammunition as they passed along the conveyor belt. The man claimed that he forgot that the gun was in his bag.
TSA officers immediately contacted the Norfolk Airport Authority Police, which confiscated the gun and ammunition and issued the man a citation on a state weapons charge. There was no impact to airport operations.
Travelers can view a comprehensive list of prohibited items at https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/prohibited-items.
TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its web site here: http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/firearms-and-ammunition.
