The Transportation Safety Administration mentioned it expects a document variety of vacationers at U.S. airports on Sunday because the company braces for what’s projected to be a crush at safety checkpoints. Greater than 32 million individuals are forecast to go via TSA screening between June 27 and July 8, in response to the company, a 5.4% improve from the identical interval final yr. 

With that tidal wave of vacationers, TSA officers additionally anticipate to see the next quantity of banned objects on conveyor belts.

“We have seen something from chainsaws on carry-on baggage [and] we have seen bigger energy instruments and saws,” Michael Duretto, deputy federal safety director for Los Angeles Worldwide Airport, instructed CBS Information senior transportation correspondent Kris Van Cleave. “Lately, we noticed a passion rocket — however it was a big rocket — that got here to our checked baggage.”

“You may say that individuals will attempt to pack the kitchen sink if they might,” he added.

And take a look at they’ve, mentioned Martin Garcia, a TSA officer in Los Angeles, who instructed Van Cleave that he has seen somebody attempt to keep on a kitchen sink, whereas one other passenger tried to convey deer antlers on board. Different unusual issues TSA brokers have intercepted thus far this yr embody:

• Throwing knives, similar to these utilized by ninjas
• Samurai sword
• Machetes
• Bag of snakes
• Tasers
• Reproduction hand grenade
• Electrical sander
• Fireworks

Bottles of water and firearms are probably the most steadily stopped objects by TSA officers. TSA brokers found a document 6,737 firearms at airport safety checkpoints final yr — most of them loaded. Within the first quarter of 2024, the company intercepted greater than 1,500 firearms at airport checkpoints.

TSA additionally routinely intercepts extra standard objects. In a single latest incident, for instance, Rep. Victoria Spartz, an Indiana Republican, acquired a quotation for an unloaded handgun present in her baggage at Dulles Worldwide Airport in Virginia. Though it’s authorized for airline passengers to journey with unloaded weapons, the weapons should be locked in a hard-sided case and declared to the airline and positioned within the passengers’ checked baggage, in response to the TSA.

TSA does not confiscate firearms. When a gun is detected at a checkpoint, the agent should summon native regulation enforcement to take possession of the weapon. It’s as much as the regulation enforcement officer to arrest or cite the passenger in accordance with native regulation, however the TSA can impose a civil penalty of as much as virtually $15,000, in response to the company.