December 14, 2021

NEWARK, N.J.—Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers detected a handgun and ammunition artfully concealed inside a traveler’s checked baggage yesterday (December 13) resulting in his arrest.

The gun was found taped and wrapped in an ace bandage along with a handful of bullets that were detected inside a hollowed-out bar of soap. The items were detected among the traveler’s other belongings inside his checked bag. When the TSA officer spotted the items, Port Authority Police (PAPD) were contacted and the man was called to return to the airline check-in counter. PAPD arrested the man, a resident of Chester, Pa., on a weapons charge. He told officials that the gun was given to him by a deceased relative and he was planning to take it to Lagos, Nigeria.

“This individual knew what was in his checked bag and he intentionally attempting to conceal both the gun and ammunition to bring overseas,” said Thomas Carter, TSA’s Federal Security Director for New Jersey. “In addition to screening carry-on bags, TSA officers also screen all checked baggage before it is permitted to be loaded onto an airplane. This was a good catch on the part of our officers.”

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TSA officers detected these bullets artfully concealed in a hollowed out bar of soap among his carry-on items. (TSA photo)