Chesapeake man arrested after bringing loaded gun to Richmond International Airport

Richmond International Airport police this morning arrested a Chesapeake man after Transportation Security Administration officials found a loaded gun in his carry-on bag.

The handgun, a .40-caliber weapon, was loaded with 10 bullets.  A TSA officer who was staffing the checkpoint X-ray monitor detected the .40 caliber firearm inside the man’s carry-on bag as it entered the X-ray machine.

TSA officials notified the airport police, who confiscated the gun and arrested the man on weapons charges.

It was the 10th firearm that TSA officers have found at the airport so far in 2018. Last year, they stopped 18 guns at the airport’s checkpoints.

Anyone who brings weapons to an airport checkpoint is subject to federal civil penalties of as much as $13,000. The law applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits, because even though someone may have a concealed carry permit, it does not allow for a firearm to be carried onto an airplane.

A typical first offense for carrying a handgun into a checkpoint is $3,900. The complete list of penalties is posted online at www.tsa.gov/travel/civil-enforcement.

Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage if they are properly packaged and declared. Firearms must be unloaded, packed in a hard-sided case, locked, and packed separately from ammunition. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality. Travelers should familiarize themselves with state and local firearm laws for each point of travel prior to departure.

TSA provides details about how to properly travel with a firearm at http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/firearms-and-ammunition. Airlines may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition. Travelers should also contact their airline regarding firearm and ammunition carriage policies.