ORLANDO, Fla. — Transportation Security Administration officers in Florida say they’ve seen a recent surge in passengers bringing guns to airport checkpoints throughout the state.
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The agency says more than half a dozen of Florida’s international airports, including Orlando International, have approached or broken all-time records for such incidents this year.
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According to the TSA, officers found guns on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and the day after.
A Surge In Passengers Bringing Guns to @TSA Checkpoints Across Florida Is A Dangerous Pattern As Numbers Reach Records At Several Airports https://t.co/ghdtJxsRPI
— TSA_Gulf (@TSA_Gulf) December 28, 2021
A gun was discovered at an Orlando International Airport Checkpoint Wednesday, bringing the total number of guns found there this year to 121, just two short of the record of 123 set in 2018.
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The TSA is asking passengers to pay more attention to where their guns are before going to the airport.
Violations of the federal law against bringing guns to TSA checkpoints carry a civil penalty that can exceed $13,900 and applies regardless of whether the offender is arrested or cited by local law enforcement.
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The TSA says the international airports in Orlando, Tampa and Fort Lauderdale are typically near the top 10 in the country for such violations.
For more information on the TSA’s guidelines for transporting firearms and ammunition, click here.
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Cox Media Group
