CHICAGO — More and more guns are being confiscated at airports nationwide, the Department of Homeland Security said Friday. An all-time high 2,212 firearms were taken from travelers last year, a 22 percent jump from 2013.
In Chicago, more guns were confiscated at O'Hare Airport in 2014 than the year before. But fewer guns were confiscated at Midway Airport, DHS said.
At O'Hare, which recently reclaimed the title of the nation's busiest airport, 20 guns were confiscated in 2014, compared to 16 in 2013. At Midway, just six firearms were confiscated, compared to 13 the year before, according to statistics provided by DHS.
The most guns were confiscated at Dallas-Fort Worth: 120.
Nationwide, Transportation Safety Administration employees discovered a number of unlikely prohibited items, including a pistol in a PlayStation2 console; a homemade avalanche control device; a knife hidden in an enchilada; an explosive vest; a cannon barrel, and a novelty clock resembling dynamite.
Among those discovered in Chicago: a novelty grenade attached to a sign that said "Complaint Department" and two cans of bear repellent.
TSA rules state only unloaded guns may be transported in checked bags. But passengers are bound to state laws when they travel, which has resulted in some people being arrested for possessing firearms in states where they do not hold a permit.
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