Officers have found 6,301 firearms so far this year, up from the previous record of 5,972 found in 2021.

The TSA said Friday it’s raising the maximum fine to $14,950. Previously it was $13,910.

TSA officers have found 6,301 firearms in carry-on bags so far this year, surpassing the previous record of 5,972 detected in 2021. The numbers have been increasing steadily over the last decade; in 2012, 1,549 firearms were detected at security checkpoints.

Eighty-eight percent of the guns found this year were loaded, the TSA said.

Firearm possession laws vary by location, but guns are never allowed in carry-on bags at any airport security checkpoint, even if a passenger has a concealed-weapon permit. Passengers transporting firearms must do so in a locked case in checked baggage. They also must declare them to the airline, the TSA said.

At a congressional hearing earlier this year, some lawmakers and airport administrators called for higher fines, gun-safety classes for violators and other measures. They said the maximum fines were rarely imposed and clearly weren’t working as a deterrent.

But other lawmakers said most of the passengers who get caught simply forgot they were carrying a gun, and higher fines won’t stop that problem.

When the TSA finds a gun, it generally checks to see if it was stolen or involved in a previous crime. The agency might also confiscate the gun.

In addition to the fine — an amount determined by the TSA based on the circumstances of each case — the TSA will revoke PreCheck eligibility for at least five years for anyone caught with a gun at a security checkpoint. Passengers might also be arrested for a firearms violation, depending on the state or local laws in the airport’s location.

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The identification includes “REAL ID-compliant” driver’s licenses, U.S. passports, or U.S. military IDs.

According to the U.S. Travel Association, 57 percent of Americans are unaware of the deadline. An estimated 72 percent either have a standard driver’s license or are unsure whether their ID is REAL ID-compliant. An estimated 39 percent do not have a form of identification that will be accepted on October 1.

All 50 states are part of the program and have begun issuing compliant driver’s licenses this year. Organizers are urging people not to wait so that state licensing agencies do not get overwhelmed as the deadline approaches.

Compliant licenses will feature a special mark, typically in the upper right corner of the license. The marks vary by state but typically will include a gold or black star, or a gold or black circle with a white or black star inside the circle.

Source: Prevue Meetings