In a startling incident, security personnel uncovered 17 bullets concealed within a disposable baby diaper at LaGuardia Airport in New York on Wednesday, as reported by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The TSA revealed that the diaper triggered an alarm in an X-ray machine during a routine security check at the airport checkpoint. Subsequently, they removed the otherwise clean diaper from the passenger’s carry-on luggage, according to an ABC News report.
The passenger, a man from Arkansas en route to Chicago, initially professed ignorance regarding the bullet-laden diaper in his bag. Later on, he changed his statement, asserting that his girlfriend was responsible for placing it there. The Port Authority police cited him for the illegal possession of 9mm ammunition.
Nevertheless, this incident is part of a growing trend, and airports throughout the United States have been grappling with similar challenges. Just last month, TSA agents at LaGuardia Airport uncovered a .45-caliber pistol along with six bullets ingeniously concealed within a pair of Nike shoes in a checked suitcase. It is important to highlight that while weapons can be transported as checked luggage, they must be securely stored in a sealed, hard-sided container.
Authorities discovered a carry-on bag in April that contained two boxes of ammunition (totaling more than 100 bullets) and a loaded .22-caliber handgun. As per the TSA, the traveler explained that he had recently visited a shooting range and inadvertently neglected to remove the firearm and ammunition from his bag before heading to the airport. He was subsequently placed under arrest.
In a different incident, security checkpoint agents uncovered 13 bullets hidden within a Mentos chewing gum packet inside a carry-on bag in January 2021. According to the TSA, the rounds were strategically packed alongside gum pieces. The passenger insisted that the bag belonged to his son. Consequently, he faced charges of unauthorized possession of ammunition, as outlined by the agency.