A North Carolina man allegedly tried to bring a loaded handgun through a checkpoint at the Portland International Jetport.
The man had a loaded 9 mm handgun, including a bullet in the chamber, in his backpack as he tried to pass through the checkpoint on Sunday, according to the U.S. Transportation Security Administration. He had 21 bullets in total on him.
During questioning, the man said he meant to leave the handgun in his vehicle, but was in a rush and forgot, according to the agency.
Police escorted the man to his vehicle, where he secured the weapon.
“Our TSA officers once again are on top of ensuring firearms stay out aircraft cabins,” said Oscar De Los Reyes, TSA’s federal security director for Maine. “Loaded firearms at TSA security checkpoints present an unacceptable safety and security risk to other passengers.”
It was the sixth gun found at a Maine airport so far this year, including the third at the Portland International Jetport and the second there in four days.
On Thursday, a 60-year-old man was found with a loaded 9 mm handgun in his backpack while going through a checkpoint at the Portland airport. He was escorted to the ticket counter, where he checked his firearm with the airline.
Nationwide, 1,500 guns have been found at airport checkpoints, according to the TSA.
Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage if they are unloaded, packed in a hard-sided case, locked and packed separately from ammunition. Anyone who brings an undeclared firearm through a checkpoint can face criminal charges and civil penalties up to $15,000, even if the traveler has a concealed carry permit, according to the TSA. A typical first offense for carrying a handgun into a checkpoint is $3,000.
