The TSA gets criticized often for their security tactics, but the Transportation Security Administration is in place because they have a very important job. This year, the TSA confiscated a record number of guns from passengers at U.S. airports.
According to NBC, the TSA has taken away 1,527 guns so far in 2012. Of those, 1,295 were loaded. By the time the year ends in a few days, the TSA will probably confiscate 1,550 guns. In the past week alone, TSA screeners took 34 guns from passengers, 32 of which were loaded.
These numbers are a record for the TSA and it is a a high increase from last year in which 1,320 guns were found.
The TSA says that those who are caught with guns usually forgot that they were carrying them. The most commonly found weapon is a .380 semiautomatic pistol.
The TSA keeps track of the number of confiscated weapons on its blog, but it does not keep track of arrests.
"We just keep track of the confiscations, because the police don't always keep us apprised of what happens," David Castelveter, the agency's director of external communications, told Skift. "We don't pay attention to the arrest unless it turns into an indictment and we have an agent give testimony in a trial."
Most of the confiscated guns are found in airports in Texas and Florida, but Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International had the most guns taken away (90).
The TSA does allow some weapons to be transported in checked luggage.
"Travelers may only transport UNLOADED firearms in a locked, hard-sided container in or as checked baggage. All firearms, ammunition and firearm parts, including firearm frames and receivers, are prohibited in carry-on baggage," the TSA website reads.
For a full list of the TSA's firearms rules, click here.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
