The Transportation Security Administration busted a man trying to sneak a loaded gun onto a plane by hiding it next to his prosthetic leg.
TSA spokeswoman Lorie Dankers told the Salt Lake Tribune that TSA screeners found a loaded 22-caliber pistol strapped to a man's artificial leg inside a boot on Thursday night before trying to board a plane at Salt Lake City International Airport.
The man was supposed to board a flight to Charlotte, N.C., when TSA agents spotted the firearm as he walked through a whole body scanning machine. Upon carrying out a more intricate search, screeners found the firearm with a fully-loaded, seven-round clip and another round in the chamber.
Salt Lake City Airport police officers were brought in to arrest the man on suspicion of violating state law by carrying a concealed weapon into a secure area.
This was the third incident in a week in which someone was caught trying to hide a firearm at Salt Lake City International Airport.
According to the TSA, this was the 19th time that a firearm was found at the security checkpoint at the Utah airport this year alone so far. Last year, 20 firearms were seized during the entire 2012 flying season.
Dankers told the Salt Lake Tribune that passengers who want to travel must store them in their checked luggage as guns are not permitted in carry-on luggage. In addition to this, a passenger must declare their weapon to the airline during the ticket counter check-in process. The weapon must be unloaded and stored in a locked, hard-sided container.
The identity of the man has not been released. It is not clear why he was trying to sneak a gun on board.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
