TSA
In this representational image, Transportation Security Administration Security Officer looks at images created by a 'backscatter' scanner during a demonstration at the Transportation Security Administration's Systems Integration Facility at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, Dec. 30, 2009. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) got a lot more than it bargained for Monday when checking the luggage of soldier returning home.

TSA officials at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport found a missile launcher in the checked luggage of a man from Jacksonville, Texas. According to the traveler, he was an active-duty member of the U.S. military returning home from service in Kuwait and wanted to bring the weapon home as a souvenir.

The item was not live and was safely confiscated by officials. It was taken by the state fire marshal for proper disposal. The traveler was questioned by security and released in time to catch his flight.

"Perhaps he should have picked up a keychain instead!" TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein said in a tweet.

The TSA has issued a reminder that military weapons of any kind are not allowed in luggage, either check or carry-on.

There have been many other instances of the TSA discovering surprising weapons.

In April 2018, a traveler had a mortar round in a checked bag at the Evansville Regional Airport in Indiana.

Two novelty bottle openers shaped like hand grenades were found in a woman's check bags in August 2018 at Newark Liberty Airport in New Jersey.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

We know it didn’t go down this way, but we’d like to imagine that the groom lobbed these inert well-dressed grenades over his shoulder to his groomsmen, just as bouquets are tossed to bridesmaids. We could see a conversation going something like this. … Chad: “I was so close to catching one, bruh.” … Randy: “Whatever, Chad! Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. Oh wait…” … Randy & Chad: “Hahahahaha! Bruh…” … OK, back to the real world. These dapper inert grenades were wedding gifts for groomsmen. They were discovered in a checked bag at the Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). … When our officers spot a potential explosive on the monitor, they cannot just open the bag and take a looksee to find out if it’s real or not. A TSA explosives specialist or a police department bomb squad must respond before the bag is ever opened. This can lead to costly evacuations, delays, and missed flights. These types of items can also lead to hefty fines and arrest. Contact your preferred shipper about your options, because they can’t travel via commercial aircraft. So even though they aren’t real, they can cause a lot of headaches.

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