by To protect passenger safety and security, airports have tight policies about what may and cannot be placed in checked and carry-on luggage.
Enforcing these rules is the responsibility of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which maintains a list of forbidden items that are not permitted in checked or carry-on luggage.
Items related to martial arts, firearms, shock guns, and sharp objects like blades, scissors, and razors are among the forbidden items.
In this article, we are going to further look at some of the strangest items that has been seized at different airports, why they were seized and how to avoid getting into such situations.
9. Eels:
Eels are ray-finned fish belonging to the order Anguilliformes which consists of eight suborders, 20 families, 164 genera, and about 1000 species.
At Halifax Stanfield International Airport in Nova Scotia, $112,000 items of young eels, or elvers, was seized by Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO).
The discovery was a component of a larger inquiry into the poaching of elvers in Canada.
The country’s most valued marine animal is the small juvenile fish, which is also a popular item on the international fish market. About 55 pounds of the young eels, which are utilized in Chinese fish farms and Spanish cuisine, were seized by DFO officials.
The money from the sale of the seized eels is being retained until the inquiry is finished. In the event that the Crown is found guilty, the money will be forfeited.
This occurrence happened at a time when criminal activities related to elver fishing and elver poaching were on the rise in Canadian seas.
8. Human skulls:
Three human’s skulls being sent to Britain were seized at Indonesia’s international airport.
The sponge-wrapped skulls were packed in separate boxes and labeled as handicrafts, said Eko Darmanto, chief of customs at Jakarta’s airport. Two were intricately carved or decorated and the third remained in its original form.
“Police are investigating a possible crime,” he told reporters, adding that the skulls originated from Bali Island and were destined for Yorkshire via air courier.
Indonesia’s criminal code says anyone who intentionally digs or moves human remains from a grave for sale or collection faces up to 14 months in jail.
7. A Corpse:
Curt Will Jarant, then 91 years old, was on his way to Manchester from Berlin in 2010 along with his spouse and daughter.
Mr. Jarant had Alzheimer’s disease and was confined to a wheelchair.
In addition, he had on heavy sunglasses because he had an eye illness recently.Airport staff observed the elderly man sitting down in his wheelchair as the women attempted to check in at the terminal.
He was alright, the lady said, adding that “he always sleeps like that.” When the authorities touched him and felt his freezing-cold skin, they didn’t buy it.
It appears that the family members came up with this scheme to get around not having to pay the cost of transporting a dead body.
6. Gun-shaped wine holder:
The gun-shaped wine holder was taken into custody at the Californian airport, Sacramento International.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) listed this item as one of the top 10 most unusual objects they confiscated in 2021.
At airport checkpoints, TSA workers found a number of odd objects, such as bear spray, a chainsaw, and a wine holder styled like a rifle.
With 5,972 guns discovered in carry-on bags, the government recorded a record-breaking amount of firearms seized at U.S. airports in 2021.
The TSA’s annual list of most bizarre finds included the gun-shaped wine holder, illustrating the wide variety of objects travelers try to sneak through airport security checks.
5. dagger hairbrush:
At a small airport in Virginia, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) confiscated a dagger hairbrush.
Upon closer examination, the hairbrush revealed a ceramic dagger concealed inside, despite its ordinary appearance.
The TSA officials discovered that the dagger hairbrush was a covert weapon and seized it to protect the travelers.
This incident emphasizes the value of security checkpoints at airports and the necessity of carefully inspecting carry-on baggage to stop harmful or forbidden goods from being smuggled onboard aircraft.
Items that are forbidden by the TSA from being brought on board or checked in include guns, sharp objects, and other items that could be dangerous.
It is essential that travelers are mindful of these laws and ensure that their baggage are packed appropriately to prevent any complications during airport security checks.
4. Snakes:
In a number of occasions, snakes have been taken from airports.
At Bengaluru Airport, more than 70 snakes were once found in a passenger’s checked luggage.
A Tamil Nadu man’s suitcase had up to 20 juvenile king cobras and other snakes, including ball pythons, when he arrived at Bengaluru Airport from Bangkok on Wednesday night. Six young monkeys were also being carried by the wildlife smuggler.
Also, twelve pythons were taken from a passenger’s suitcase at the Chennai airport in a different incident.
After all, the snakes were returned to Thailand, where they were said to be in good condition.
3. Caterpillars that are eatable:
In the bags of a guy arriving from Burkina Faso, border officials at Gatwick Airport in the United Kingdom found thousands of dried caterpillars on February 23, 2013. Four pieces of luggage held more than ninety-nine kilograms (two hundred pounds) of the small ones in total.
The man claimed the caterpillars were for his “personal consumption,” however dried insects are restricted from entry into the UK.
His formerly flimsy food supply was confiscated, so the salted peanuts aboard the plane had to do.
2. Chocolate-Coated Heroin:
Airports have already seen the seizure of heroin wrapped in chocolate. One such instance included a man who was detained at Newark Liberty International Airport for trying to enter the nation with heroin that had been wrapped in chocolate.
Traveling from Ghana, the man had hidden the pills in a chocolate-labeled container.
The heroin was found by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents as they were routinely checking the man’s bags.
The man was handed over to the Port Authority Police Department for additional investigation after being accused of importing a controlled narcotic.
In another instance, a woman tried to smuggle heroin in the shape of chocolate bars and was detained at Dulles International Airport.
The drugs were hidden in chocolate bars wrapped in gold foil by the woman, who was traveling from Ghana. Officers from CBP routinely inspected the woman’s bags and found the heroin.
The woman was handed over to the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority Police Department for additional investigation after being accused of bringing in a controlled narcotic.
1. Lipstick Stun Gun:
At Bradley Airport, a lipstick stun gun was found during the security check. The lipstick casing, which had a button on the side and was colored pink and red, was actually a stun gun.
The lipstick stun gun was found by the TSA agents along with three “random”380-caliber bullets. Dan Velez, the TSA’s New England media spokesperson, tweeted about the event, making it clear that these products were not cleared by security.
Lipstick stun guns, like this one, are prohibited from being brought in carry-on luggage but can be brought in checked luggage as long as they are disabled to avoid unintentional discharge.
The incident emphasizes how crucial it is for airports to have extensive security checks in place in order to stop people from bringing harmful or forbidden things onboard aircraft.
In Summary:
There are severe repercussions for bringing illicit products into airports, such as penalties, merchandise confiscation, and even arrest. It is crucial to be informed of the possible risks associated with bringing forbidden objects, such as counterfeit goods or specific food items, even if some people might be tempted to do so.
A Reddit thread states that you might not be penalized further if you declare an item to customs that is prohibited.
However, it will probably be confiscated. But keep in mind that this is not legal advice, and the result could differ based on the jurisdiction and the particular object at hand.
It usually against the law to import counterfeit goods into the United States.
You might be able to import counterfeit goods into the nation for personal use.
However, if you purchase counterfeit items abroad and declare them on your customs form, you may be allowed to bring them into the country for personal use.
This is because U.S. Customs regulations allow for the importation of one article of each type of counterfeit merchandise for personal use, as long as it is not for sale.
Some food products, such as those that include dairy or meat, may also be forbidden. Many nations, including the US and Canada, prohibit the entry of certain commodities.
In case you are unclear about the products you can pass through customs; it is advisable to disclose any dubious items and seek help.
It’s also critical to understand the dangers of passing through airport security with specific items, such firearms or other potentially harmful objects.
These things are completely forbidden and can lead to harsh consequences, such as an arrest and criminal charges.
