NEW YORK (PIX11) – A Long Island woman claimed she accidentally brought the wrong bag when she was caught with nine boxes of ammunition in her carry-on bag at JFK International Airport, authorities said.
TSA officers at an airport checkpoint stopped a Hicksville woman from carrying nearly 400 bullets onto her flight on May 10. The nine boxes contained ammunition for shotguns and handguns, including 12 gauge, .308 caliber, .223 caliber and 9 mm bullets, officials said.
The woman told officials that the ammunition belonged to her son and that she accidentally grabbed the wrong bag when she went to the airport for her flight. The quantity of ammunition was heavy and took up significant space in the carry-on bag, according to the TSA.
Port Authority police officers confiscated the ammunition and gave the woman a citation. She now faces a federal civil penalty for bringing ammunition to a security checkpoint.
“Not only is it important to know that you have not packed anything prohibited or illegal into your luggage, it is just as important to know which bag is yours to ensure you are familiar with its contents,” said John Bambury, the TSA’s federal security director for JFK Airport.
The TSA provides information on its website on how to properly transport firearms and ammunition for a flight.
