TSA officers at Baltimore airport report 27 firearms detected this year

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers have detected 27 firearms at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, breaking 2017’s record.

The most recent weapon was found Tuesday in the carry-on bag of a Sparks, Maryland, resident. The man was carrying a .25 caliber handgun loaded with six bullets, including one in the chamber. He told authorities he had visited a shooting range and forgot he still had the weapon.

An X-ray machine discovered the handgun at a checkpoint. The TSA alerted the Maryland Transportation Authority Police, who confiscated the firearm and detained the man for questioning. He was later arrested on weapons charges.

The TSA has the authority to issue civil penalties of up to $13,333. The typical fine for a first offense for carrying a handgun into a checkpoint is $4,100.

Passengers may not bring guns onto airplanes in their carry-on bags, even with a concealed firearm permit. Firearms can be carried in checked baggage but must be declared, unloaded, separated from ammunition, and packed in a locked, hard-sided case.

In 2018, 4,239 firearms were discovered in carry-on bags at checkpoints nationwide, a 7 percent increase from the prior year. This is an average of 11.6 firearms daily.

The majority of the firearms were loaded.