More than a dozen passengers are arrested each year for firearm possession at West Palm Beach airports. That is according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which reports most cases of arrests involving loaded firearms discovered in carry-on luggage. Those who are caught are arrested, criminally charged, and civilly fined. But what happens to the firearms right after it was confiscated?
What You Need to Consider Before Traveling with a Firearm
Packing Firearms
It is important to note that it is completely legal to transport firearms as long as it is unloaded and is kept in a locking rifle case or a locked hard-sided container as checked-in baggage only. Finding a firearm case for traveling does not have to be difficult. Before checking in, you must declare at the check-in or ticket counter that you have a firearm inside your check-in baggage. If you do not declare, you can be prosecuted under federal and state laws.
What Happens to Firearms Confiscated by the TSA?
If you have flown on an airplane, then you are well aware of the specific rules concerning prohibited items. It is easy to get confused. However, who in their right mindset would try to board a plane or take a cruise with loaded, unlicensed guns or two-foot-long knives? As it turns out, a lot of everyday people do.
There are vast amounts of weapons seized in airports each year. These confiscated weapons, such as loaded firearms, unlicensed guns, and dangerous weapons, are usually destroyed, kept as prosecution’s evidence, auctioned on eBay, or sold at a state surplus warehouse store.
What to Do When Charged with Possession of a Firearm in West Palm Beach
If you have been charged with a gun crime or weapons offense in West Palm Beach, contact David Olson Law for legal assistance as soon as possible!