April 10, 2019
A woman was stopped at a Philadelphia International Airport checkpoint Wednesday morning with a loaded handgun.
The woman had a 9mm handgun loaded with seven bullets, including one in the chamber, in her carry-on bag according to the Transportation Security Administration.
Philadelphia Police were contacted, and when police arrived they confiscated the firearm, detained the woman for questioning, and cited her on weapons violations.
The woman’s gun is the fourth detected at the airport’s checkpoints this year, according to the TSA. Last year, TSA said, 25 guns were detected at Philadelphia International; across the country, that number was 4,239.
A typical first offense for carrying a handgun into a checkpoint, according to the TSA, is $3,900 and can range up to $13,000.
The TSA notes that while an individual who brings a gun to a checkpoint is subject to possible criminal charges, a notice of violation is not the same as a criminal charge.
According to the TSA's website, travelers "may transport unloaded firearms in a locked hard-sided container as checked baggage only." Travelers have to declare the firearm while checking their bag at the ticket counter, and the container must "completely" secure the firearm from access during the flight.
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