NEWARK, N.J. (PIX11) – Two guns were confiscated at TSA checkpoints at Newark Liberty International Airport within a week of one another, officials said.
Officials said the first incident happened on Aug. 18, when a Newark woman who worked at one of the airport retail shops was stopped at a security checkpoint. TSA officers confiscated a loaded 9mm gun and police arrested the woman on weapons charges.
TSA said her airport ID was also taken and she can no longer work at the airport. The woman could face a fine of as much as $15,000 for bringing the gun to the airport, officials said.
The second incident happened on Aug. 25, when a Fort Lee man was caught with a loaded .380 caliber gun in his duffle bag. The gun was confiscated, officials said.
“Firearms should never be brought to the security checkpoint in carry-on luggage. Responsible gun owners know this,” said Thomas Carter, TSA’s federal security director for New Jersey.
TSA said 14 guns have been confiscated at the airport so far in 2023. In 2022, 6,542 firearms were caught at 262 airport security checkpoints nationwide, according to TSA.
Officials said out of the more than 6,000 confiscated firearms, 88% were loaded.
Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.
