Transportation Security Administration officers at BWI Marshall Airport detected yet another loaded handgun at a security checkpoint on Sunday.
The 9 mm gun loaded with eight rounds was among the belongings of a man who worked at one of the airport’s retail shops. Police confiscated the gun and the Baltimore man was cited on firearms charges.
His airport identification badge was also seized, banning him from his job at the airport.
It’s the 21st firearm detected at BWI so far this year; 42 were intercepted last year.
The discovery of the loaded weapon at BWI follows TSA officers at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, intercepting two loaded guns within two days last week in passengers’ carry on bags.
On Thursday, May 23, officers found a 40 caliber handgun with 14 rounds, including one in the chamber. The next day a .380 caliber handgun with seven rounds, including one in the chamber, was found in the bag of a Florida man.
In each case, the guns were confiscated by police and the passengers were charged with weapons violations, which can typically produce fines of up to $15,000.
Eighteen guns have been detected so far this year at Reagan Airport; 39 were intercepted last year.
In late April, the TSA reported intercepting a loaded 40 caliber handgun from a passenger’s belongings. It was the 4th gun detected at Dulles this year. Twenty-four were intercepted last year at Dulles.
The TSA continues to remind passengers that bringing a firearm to an airport checkpoint carries a federal civil penalty which could included a hefty fine in the thousands, loss of PreCheck status or a referral for criminal charges.
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