by Donald Wood
Last updated: 3:44 PM ET, Thu January 21, 2016
Photo courtesy of Department of Homeland Security
The Transportation Security Administration announced Thursday that the agency confiscated a record-breaking number of guns from carry-on bags owned by airline passengers in 2015.
According to Pete Williams and Jon Schuppe of NBCNews.com, TSA agents found and recovered 2,653 firearms last year, a 20 percent increase from the 2,212 found in 2014.
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Of the 2,653 guns confiscated from 236 airports across the United States, the TSA report claims more than 80 percent were loaded. The weapons were discovered during TSA's searches of 1.6 billion bags last year.
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport had the most seized firearms in 2015 with 153, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport had the second most with 144 and Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (100), Denver International Airport (90) and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (73) rounded out the top five.
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TSA Administrator Peter V. Neffenger told NBCNews.com, "The transport of firearms by commercial air in carry-on bags represents a threat to the safety and security of air travelers. Through increased training in detection methods, our officers are becoming more adept at intercepting these prohibited items."
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