Guns, knives among items seized by T.F. Green security

By: Alana Cerrone

acerrone@abc6.com

WARWICK, R.I. – Despite warnings from the TSA, there are always those passengers who try to pass through security with some banned items, and some of them are big "no-no’s."

Items seized from passengers’ carry-on bags at the security checkpoints in 2016 where made available as part of a show and tell of sorts on Thursday.

"We’ll give you a range of options…likely those are bringing them back to your car, giving them to a non-traveling companion or going back to the ticket counter and placing it in checked luggage," said TSA Public Affairs Representative Michael McCarthy.

Also on that list, two guns, kitchen knives, switchblades, and even some kind of club-like object heavy enough to be considered a weapon.

They’ve even had replica grenades.

“If our officers detect one if these in the x-ray they will respond as if it could be an actual explosive device," said McCarthy.

And that causes backup.

To avoid slowing down the security line and becoming the object of fellow passengers’ animosity, TSA officials recommend you check their website before packing anything you’re not sure of.

"You can type in any item you can type in wrench…utility knife…it’ll tell you whether or not it can go in checked bag carry on bags or neither," said McCarthy.

In 2015 TSA retrained all of its officers after a leaked inspector general report revealed dozens of security failures.

Undercover investigators were able to smuggle fake explosives and prohibited weapons right through checkpoints at some of the nation’s busiest airports.

The deadly shooting spree inside the Fort Lauderdale Airport earlier this month where Esteban Santiago opened fire using a gun that he checked in his luggage is also spurring new conversations with the federal agency.

"There are discussions taking place on capital hall and we’ll wait to see what the direction is that we receive," said McCarthy.

©WLNE-TV / ABC6 2017