An airline passenger removes his watch before being screened at a security checkpoint. (REUTERS/Mike Segar)
The TSA Instagram account is a must follow. For starters, it opens you up to a world of insane findings at the airport. Plus, the folks who run the account are hilarious with their captions.
Being a TSA agent is no easy task, and every year they prevent horrific items from boarding a plane: In 2016 alone, they uncovered over 3,000 guns at U.S. airports. Earlier this year, they confiscated a record 21 firearms in one day.
Guns aren’t the only items the TSA catches in carry-on bags though. Here are some of the craziest things they discovered in 2017 courtesy of the TSA Instagram page.
The Rocket
This model rocket was found at an airport in Greenville, North Carolina. Not sure how this person thought it would be safe to carry on the plane because you can’t even put this in checked baggage.
More from TravelPulse:
Explosives
Inert explosives are a no go on planes and so are fireworks. Even military instructors aren’t allowed to carry training items that look like explosives, yet sometimes they forget or say they just didn’t know, like with this block of explosives found in Norfolk, Virginia. But this replica suicide vest had to be the worst of them all.
Grenade Art
While this might make for some unique decorations, you still can’t bring it on a plane. Anything that resembles a grenade is prohibited from the aircraft. What’s even crazier is that there were multiple incidents of grenade art discovered by TSA this year.
Farming or Death?
Uncovered in a carry-on bag at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, this sickle is actually allowed in a checked bag. That doesn’t change the fact that it’s a bit creepy to be carrying this around. We’ll blame that on the movies.
Propane Tanks
Not one, but two! Who thought this would be a good idea? These were found in checked bags at the airport in Anchorage, Alaska and I’m quite curious to know what this person was thinking when they packed their luggage.
Drugs
It’s no secret that the TSA is going to find drugs; The intriguing part is how some people try to hide it. One at LAX tried (and failed) to smuggle some festively wrapped heroin while another was busted for carrying weed in a cane in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Unique Knives
This one is a double whammy. It looks like a gun but really, it’s a knife. Either way, it’s not allowed in your carry-on bag. Neither is this creepy looking bone knife or this crazy blade, which the TSA Instagram account captioned as “Satan’s pizza cutter.”
Unique Stun Guns
These stun guns might serve a purpose for protection during your travels, but they must remain in your checked baggage. This one disguised as lipstick is quite clever, as well as this one that looks like a simple walking cane.
Bear Deterrent
If you’re planning to spend the night out in the woods during your travels, this bear deterrent would be good to have. But bears on a plane? That’s only going to happen in the movies, so make sure pack it in your checked luggage.
Strangely enough, the TSA uncovered bear attack deterrent more than once this year.