9 Crazy Items Confiscated by TSA Agents
May 28, 2014— -- intro: For those inclined to grumble at lengthy lines or in-depth bag searches during TSA checks at U.S. airports, consider following the agency's Instagram account for a view from the other side.
Posts made over the last nine months on the TSA Instagram feed reveal that the traveler standing in front of you may be concealing a flashbang grenade or martial arts weapon.
Here are nine of the craziest items recently documented on the account:
quicklist: 1title: 1. Faux grenade - Seattle, Wash.text: Leave toys and novelty items home, travelers. "If an item looks like a real bomb, grenade, mine, etc., it is prohibited," writes the TSA on an Instagram post earlier this week. "When these items are found at a checkpoint or in checked baggage, they can cause significant delays because the explosives detection professionals must resolve the alarm to determine the level of threat." media:
quicklist: 2title: 2. Fantasy Throwing Star - Dallas International Airporttext: A sharp, three bladed martial arts weapon was recently discovered in a traveler's luggage and confiscated. Known as Shurken or throwing stars, these items are prohibited in certain regions and illegal to carry on planes anywhere in the U.S. media:
quicklist: 3title: 3. Key Knife - Burlington International Airporttext: "The key to getting through the checkpoint faster is not to have items like this in your carry-on bags," writes the TSA of a yellow key that was revealed to be a switchblade. "Please remember, all knives are prohibited from being carried onto the cabin of an aircraft." The agency also uses the hashtag #tsacatch to identify recently confiscated items. media:
quicklist: 4title: 4. Stealth Smartphone Case - Boston International Airporttext: An unusual smartphone case was revealed to open up like a Swiss Army Knife during a TSA check in Boston earlier this month. Not so smart after all.media:
quicklist: 5title: 5. 81 Pounds of Marijuana - Oakland International Airporttext: While the TSA focuses its efforts on preventing dangerous items from getting onto aircrafts, their official policy on "contraband" states that they must turn it over to law enforcement. "Especially when it's 81 pounds of contraband," writes the TSA in its post.media:
quicklist: 6title: 6. Loaded Firearm - Austin-Bergstrom Airporttext: A loaded firearm was found by TSA stashed in a carry-on bag in Texas last month. According to the agency, 1,477 other loaded guns were discovered in carry-on bags in 2013, and 48 were confiscated last month alone.media:
quicklist: 7title: 7. Live Flashbang Grenade - Memphis International Airporttext: The TSA confiscated a live grenade in Tennessee last month, taking to Instagram to remind travelers that grenades are not permitted in checked or carry-on baggage.media:
quicklist: 8title: 8. Lipstick Taser - Detroit International Airporttext: A "bejeweled lipstick Taser" was discovered in a carry-on bag last month. The tiny weapon was pink and studded with crystals but concealed 3,000,000-volt stun gun. media:
quicklist: 9title: 9. Pen Knife - Los Angeles International Airporttext: While a thin knife hidden inside of an emptied pen may seem like an ingenious form of self-protection, "artfully concealed items such as this one can lead to fines or even an arrest," writes the TSA on their Instagram account. To see even more prohibited items visit the TSA blog: blog.tsa.gov.media:
