Photo courtesy of TSA
The U.S. Transportation Security Administration has seized a record number of firearms from carry-on luggage in 2014.
According to CNN's Katia Hetter, the TSA has confiscated 2,000 firearms as of Dec. 1, meaning that number could still rise before the end of the year.
Despite the implied threat to air travelers, TSA spokesman Ross Feinstein notes that many of the seizures are the result of carelessness on the part of passengers, per Hetter:
"The vast majority of passengers have no nefarious intent but forgot their firearm in their carry-on bag."
"It is a reminder that passengers should check their personal belongings before arriving at the TSA checkpoint, to ensure they do not have any prohibited items in their possession," Feinstein added.
Unsurprisingly, the consequences of having a firearm seized during the security screening process are substantial. Those passengers can be arrested and even subjected to criminal charges. Although less severe, the TSA can also hand down civil penalties to passengers in violation and can sometimes ban them from expedited screening programs in the future.
The 2,000 seizures thus far in 2014 signal a significant increase over the 1,813 in 2013, and mark the seventh consecutive year that the TSA has recorded an increase in firearm seizures from the previous year.
For perspective, 803 firearms were confiscated by the TSA in 2007.
In 2014, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport has produced the most seizures, with 109 through November. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is second with 93 firearm seizures, while Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is the third biggest offender with 73 recorded seizures in 2014.
The numbers, while relatively low considering the number of passengers passing through U.S. airports in a given year, should serve as a warning for air travelers to review the TSA's rules for checking firearms before flying.
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