The Transportation Security Administration has a message to travelers heading to airports: Don't pack loaded weapons in your carry-on bags.
TSA teamed up with Miami-Dade Police Department for a news conference Monday to remind travelers which items are prohibited in carry-on bags.
Items include guns along replica guns, empty magazines, martial arts weapons and masks that are covered with bullets.
"When you introduce a firearm into a secure facility the obvious concern is some form of domestic or international terrorism," said Miami-Dade Police Major Raymond Melcon.
TSA has intercepted dozens of firearms at South Florida airports this year; 37 at Miami International Airport and 46 at Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport.
The agency said the uptrend should concern all passengers.
"Several people just take their bag and fling it on the X-Ray machine. A lot of these guns are loaded and the result could be tragic," TSA spokesperson Sari Koshetz said.
Local
Passengers who must travel with a firearm much pack it in checked baggage.
The gun must be unloaded and stored in a locked, hard-sided case.
The firearm should be declared to the airline at check-in.
Hand grenades whether real or a replica are not permitted, even in checked bags.
Passengers who bring loaded guns to a TSA checkpoint face a fine of up to $11 thousand along with criminal charges.
