TSA set to confiscate record-number of firearms at US airports. Where does Newark Liberty fall on the list?
The TSA says travelers need to pay more attention to the items that they have inside their carry-on bags, as a majority of incidents are tied to carelessness.
The Transportation Safety Administration announced this week that officers have set a record for the most guns confiscated at Philadelphia International Airport in a single year. The agency says that 45 guns were confiscated so far this year. The previous record of 44 was set last year in 2022.
The statistic made the staff at News 12 New Jersey curious about how Newark Liberty International Airport stacks up.
TSA agents have overall found more than 6,000 guns at airport checkpoints across the United States. TSA officials tell News 12 that 20 guns have been confiscated at Newark Liberty this year, while 14 guns were confiscated at Newark Liberty in 2022. The numbers put Newark on the lower end for gun confiscations.
Atlanta’s airport has one of the highest, with 400 guns confiscated this year.
TSA officials say that New Jersey’s lower numbers are correlated to the state’s strict gun safety laws.
Firearms instructor and U.S. Department of Defense Police Office David McConnon says he agrees.
“I believe that there is a surge in New York and New Jersey, especially in New Jersey, with buying firearms. But you can’t just buy a firearm and carry it like you can in other states,” he says. “When it comes to other states, it’s a lot easier to go out and buy a firearm whether it’s a rifle or a pistol.
The TSA says travelers need to pay more attention to the items that they have inside their carry-on bags, as a majority of incidents are tied to carelessness.
Travelers are urged to start packing with an empty bag, so they know with certainty what is inside.
