TSA cracks down on guns at Atlanta Airport

ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) -If you are planning on heading through airport security at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, you might want to double check your luggage so that you don’t face a hefty fine.

TSA is stopping hundreds of people in airport security lines and directing them toward police for packing guns in their carry-on bags.

“Over the last ten years we ‘ve seen a huge rise in the number of guns,” TSA Spokesperson Mark Howell said.

TSA and airport officials are now using state of the art holograms posted above TSA security lines to catch your eye before they catch you.

“Last year was a record number of firearms found here with 507.” he shared.

If you want to travel with your firearm it must be in a hard sided container that can be locked with a key. Howell says make sure it’s completely unloaded.

All ammunition must be locked inside, and you must fill it out a declaration form with your airline at the ticket counter so it can be checked.

Once you reach security it’s too late to make adjustments.

“If it looks like it was an egregious act, like they were trying to intentionally hide it in a bag, if they were trying to artfully conceal it that is an issue. So there are a lot of factors that go into how they make that civil penalty,” Howell said.

TSA officials said if they catch travelers with an unloaded weapon the traveler could face up to $2,000 in fines. If travelers have a loaded gun in their carry on fines are $4,000 and if someone is trying to hide a gun in their carry on fines could range up to $13,000.

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