Yahoo News US airport security discover ‘souvenir’ missile launcher in passenger’s checked luggage
A man has been stopped by airport security in the US because he had a missile launcher in his luggage.
The traveller had placed the military grade weapon in his checked baggage when flying from Kuwait to Baltimore/Washington Thurgood Marshall Airport in Maryland.
The passenger told airport staff he wanted to keep the missile launcher as a “souvenir”.
Security staff contacted airport police who detained the man for questioning.
He told them he was a military worker and was coming home from Kuwait.
The weapon was turned over to the state fire marshal for safe disposal, officials said.
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In a statement, the Transport Security Administration (TSA) said “the man, a resident of Jacksonville, Texas, told officials that he was an active military personnel”.
It added: "Fortunately, the item was not a live device.
.@TSA officers at @BWI_Airport detected this missile launcher in a checked bag early this morning. Man said he was bringing it back from Kuwait as a souvenir. Perhaps he should have picked up a keychain instead! pic.twitter.com/AQ4VBPtViG
— TSAmedia_LisaF (@TSAmedia_LisaF) July 29, 2019
“It was confiscated and handed over to the state fire marshal for safe disposal."
The TSA said the man was allowed to catch his connecting flight home to Texas.
Military weapons are prohibited items in checked or carry on luggage.
