April 08--A sparkly pink lipstick case triggered a security alert at Detroit Metropolitan Airport over the weekend.
Turned out, the cosmetic bling was a stun gun.
Security officers spotted the forbidden item on the X-ray machine as it passed through in a woman's carry-on baggage. Transportation Security Administration agents contacted the Wayne County Airport Police, who confiscated the weapon and cited the passenger on a local charge.
The passenger, however, was still allowed to board her flight to Ft. Lauderdale. She just had to leave the bejeweled stun gun behind.
Authorities would not disclose her name.
TSA spokesman Jim McKinney said airline passengers sometimes pack artfully concealed weapons, such as credit card knives for self defense, but they don't realized they have them in their wallets until a security officer finds them. Hunting rifles also mistakenly get packed, he said.
"We've had people travel and not realize they have a sword cane in their luggage," McKinney said, noting not all forbidden items will get you kicked off a flight or arrested for that matter. "You can't take it with you, but you won't get arrested for it like a loaded gun."
"Certain weapons are more serious and require more serious actions," McKinney said. "A stun gun may not escalate to the level of you missing your flight."
Weapons, including stun guns, are prohibited from being brought on planes. According to the TSA, passengers who bring prohibited items to the checkpoint are subject to possible criminal charges from law enforcement and civil penalties from TSA.
Passengers are responsible for the contents of bags they bring to the security checkpoint, and TSA's advice to passengers is to look through bags thoroughly before coming to the airport to make sure there are no illegal or prohibited items.
Passengers who are unsure whether an item is permitted or prohibited can check on TSA's homepage to find out what they can and can't bring aboard an airplane.
Contact Tresa Baldas: [email protected]
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