TSA officers detect 9th firearm this year at Boston Logan International Airport

BOSTON - Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers stopped a man from carrying a loaded firearm onto an airplane at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) on Monday, June 16.

During Monday morning security screening in Terminal A, a TSA officer detected a firearm in the 29-year-old male's carry-on bag. TSA officers immediately alerted Massachusetts State Police (MSP) who confirmed there was an unloaded 9mm firearm in the bag.

After questioning the California man, MSP troopers eventually took possession of the firearm and cited the man on state charges.

In addition to the serious safety risk these incidents pose, they slow down the screening process for all passengers when we temporarily close down a lane," said TSA's Federal Security Director for Massachusetts, Bob Allison. "I strongly urge all gun owners to ensure they know where their firearms are before traveling.

TSA Security Checkpoint Annual Firearm Detections at BOS (2021 - 2024):

TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns and gun parts with them at a checkpoint. A typical first offense for carrying a loaded gun into a checkpoint is $3,000 and can go as high as $17,062 depending on any mitigating circumstances.

This applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits because even though an individual may have a concealed carry permit, it does not allow for a firearm to be carried onto an airplane. The complete list of civil penalties is posted online. If a traveler with a gun is a member of TSA PreCheck®, that individual will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges.

Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage if they are unloaded, packed separately from ammunition in a locked hardback case and declared at the airline check-in counter.

TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website. Travelers should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.