By: Richard L. Smith
A Bergen County man was arrested Friday, November 1, after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Newark Liberty International Airport discovered a firearm in his carry-on bag.
The incident occurred at a security checkpoint in Terminal C when a TSA officer detected the gun in the Rodgewood NJ man’s blue backpack as it passed through the X-ray machine.
Following standard procedure, TSA officers alerted Port Authority Police, who confiscated the firearm and took the man into custody.
According to TSA’s Federal Security Director for New Jersey, Thomas Carter, the man claimed he was carrying the firearm because he had previously been a crime victim.
"This is an understandable reason to own a firearm,” Carter said. “However, guns are not permitted to be carried into the cabin of a plane. As a result, not only does this individual face criminal charges from the police, but he also will face a stiff federal financial civil penalty that is likely to set him back several thousands of dollars.”
Federal penalties for attempting to bring a firearm through an airport security checkpoint can reach up to $15,000, depending on the circumstances.
TSA officials continue to remind travelers that firearms must be declared and stored in checked baggage following proper guidelines and are strictly prohibited from carry-on luggage.