LOS ANGELES (KABC) — An alarming discovery was made Sunday at LAX amid the busy holiday travel season, one that the Transportation Security Administration said “surprised even the longest tenured and most experienced TSA officer.”
According to the agency, 82 consumer grade fireworks, three knives, two replica firearms and one canister of pepper spray were found in a single carry-on bag.
The items were found around 10 p.m. at Terminal 4 when a TSA officer saw the items on the X-ray image.
The bag belonged to a woman who was heading to Philadelphia, according to TSA. The Los Angeles World Airport police department responded and interviewed the woman but no further information was released.
“The sheer number of prohibited items discovered in a single carry-on bag is extremely concerning,” said LAX TSA Federal Security Director Jason Pantages. “This traveler should have followed TSA’s tried and true advice – unpack your bag before you pack it to ensure you don’t bring any prohibited items to the security checkpoint. We are in the midst of the holiday travel season when security checkpoints will be busy everywhere. Let this incident serve as a reminder to all travelers to double-check the contents of your bag prior to coming to the airport.”
The department’s bomb squad confiscated the fireworks.
TSA issued a reminder to travelers, saying fireworks are never allowed on board an aircraft in carry-on or checked luggage.
The agency said knives and replica firearms should be placed in checked baggage.
One 4-ounce container of pepper spray is allowed in checked baggage provided it’s equipped with a safety mechanism to prevent accidental discharge. Some airlines, however, don’t allow pepper spray, so travelers are urged contact the individual airline.
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