TSA finds assault rifle hidden in checked bag at Newark Airport
An agent with the Transportation Security Administration discovered an assault rifle, hollow point bullets and high-capacity magazines concealed in the lining of a checked bag at Newark International Airport on Monday.
The bag belonged to a man from East Orange, New Jersey who was found waiting at the departure gate with a companion, according to a statement from the TSA. Both were arrested by Port Authority police officers, though the TSA did not state whether either person was charged.
The gun, magazines and some of the ammunition is illegal in the state, according to Tom Carter, federal security director for New Jersey's branch of the TSA.
The administration did not explain where the man was headed nor offer any indications why they suspect he attempted to travel with such a deadly weapon.
Port Authority police did not immediately respond to questions from The (North Jersey) Record, part of the Paste BN Network.
A day prior, police arrested a man from Connecticut at Newark Airport after a TSA officer found a loaded handgun in his carry-on bag. Port Authority Police confiscated the gun and arrested him on weapons charges, according to a news release.
As of Monday, TSA had discovered nine firearms at Newark, a number officials say is higher than usual: Last year, the airport saw 11 total.
“We are seeing an increase in the number of guns that passengers are bringing to the checkpoint even though there are fewer travelers this year as a result of the pandemic,” Carter said in a statement. “Our officers continue to be focused on their security mission during this time and they are very skilled at detecting firearms and other prohibited items. Security is the main focus of our TSA team, and having guns in carry-on bags that travelers plan to bring on the aircraft is dangerous to other travelers and can be easily mistaken as an intentional attempt to bring a prohibited item onto an airplane.”
Contributing: Hannah Yasharoff, Paste BN.
Nicholas Katzban is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: katzban@northjersey.com
Twitter: @nicholaskatzban