The Transportation Security Administration, as well as Port Authority police, held a news conference this morning after the agencies say they have been disturbed by the large number of guns and ammunition being brought into security checkpoints at Newark Liberty International Airport.

TSA officials say they have caught nine firearms at security checkpoints at the airport so far this year – most of them, loaded – including handguns, a rifle, a shotgun and loads of ammunition. That is compared to 12 caught for the whole year in 2021, and 11 in 2019.

What happens if a firearm is found in a carry on? Lanes are stopped, leading to long waits. Port Authority police are called and officers begin investigating. Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage if they are unloaded, properly packaged and declared at the airline ticket counter.

"Guns and ammunition are never allowed to be carried through security check point and onto a flight, even if that traveler has a permit for that firearm,” says Thomas Carter, Transportation Security Administration Federal Security Director for State of New Jersey.

Last year, over 5.900 firearms were caught at airport security checkpoints, 86% of them were loaded.