ORLANDO, Fla. – The Transportation Security Administration said it intercepted a record 6,737 firearms at 265 U.S. airport security checkpoints in 2023, surpassing the previous year’s record of 6,542 firearms.
According to a new TSA report, Orlando International Airport was ranked among the top 10 with the most firearm discoveries in carry-on bags followed by two other airports in Florida. One alarming statistic showed that 93% of the firearms intercepted were loaded, the TSA said in a news release.
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The report said in the TSA’s fourth quarter, which ended Dec. 31, agents stopped 1,665 firearms at checkpoints — representing 18 firearms per day.
“We are still seeing far too many firearms at TSA checkpoints, and what’s particularly concerning is the amount of them loaded, presenting an unnecessary risk to everyone at the TSA checkpoint,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske. “Firearms and ammunition are strictly prohibited in carry-on baggage. Passengers are only allowed to travel with an unloaded firearm, and only if they pack it properly in a locked, hard-sided case in their checked baggage and first declare it to the airline at the check-in counter.”
According to the TSA, the U.S. airports with the most confiscated firearms in 2023 included:
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport - 451
- Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport - 378
- George Bush Intercontinental Airport - 311
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport - 235
- Nashville International Airport - 188
- Denver International Airport - 178
- Orlando International Airport - 164
- Tampa International Airport - 144
- Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport - 135
- Dallas Love Field - 125
When a firearm is detected at a security checkpoint, TSA officers immediately contact local law enforcement, who remove the passenger and the firearm from the checkpoint area. Depending on local laws, the law enforcement officer may arrest or cite the passenger.
In addition to any action taken by law enforcement, TSA fines passengers who bring a firearm to a TSA checkpoint with a civil penalty up to approximately $15,000, revokes TSA PreCheck eligibility for at least five years and may conduct enhanced screening to ensure there are no other threats present.
Click here for more information on ways to fly with a firearm correctly.
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