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Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — Many people travel home during the holiday season laden with gifts and new clothes. However, three travelers tried to bring something strange and different: weapons filled with ammunition.
The three individuals were arrested by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers in separate incidents.
On December 22, a Florida man was stopped at Harrisburg International Airport in Pennsylvania after TSA agents found a .380-caliber handgun in his luggage.
It was filled with at least 7 balls.
The Transportation Security Administration said in a statement: “The traveler claimed he left his loaded weapon with him.”
Then on Christmas Eve, a Maryland woman was stopped at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C., after TSA agents noticed a loaded gun with six bullets in her bag.
The Transportation Security Administration said in a statement that the weapon was discovered using an X-ray machine, adding that “the weapon was seized by Washington Metropolitan Airports Authority police.”
The woman is currently facing a fine of up to $15,000.
Then, on Christmas Day that same day, a passenger was arrested at Pittsburgh International Airport with a .380-caliber handgun loaded with six bullets.
His gun was the 44th gun confiscated at the airport in 2023.
The Transportation Security Administration said in a statement that the three incidents were part of a broader trend of more people trying to possess weapons aboard airplanes.
It appears that the number of illegal weapons found nationwide in 2023 will surpass last year’s record of 6,542.
This year, more than 5,000 weapons were intercepted in the first nine months of the year alone.
Travelers have attempted to bring all sorts of illegal items onto planes this year, including a live cat at Norfolk International Airport.
In September, after the Transportation Security Administration discovered a large number of animals, pet owners had to be reminded not to X-ray their furry friends.
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