Beckley, WV (WOAY) – A Florida man has been cited after TSA officers at the Raleigh County Memorial Airport discovered a loaded gun in his possession.
Officers noticed the .380 caliber handgun containing six bullets in the checkpoint x-ray machine and alerted a Raleigh County sheriff’s deputy.
The deputy allowed the man to return the gun to his vehicle.
However, the passenger now faces a federal financial penalty for bringing the weapon to the airport.
TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers with guns and gun parts at checkpoints.
Civil penalties for bringing a handgun into a checkpoint can stretch into thousands of dollars, depending on mitigating circumstances.
TSA has details on properly traveling with a firearm posted on its website at tsa.gov.
Additionally, travelers should contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with guns and ammunition.