TPA ranks in top ten on TSA’s 2023 list for most guns confiscated at airports

TAMPA, Fla. - A record number of firearms were confiscated by TSA agents in 2023 and more than 100 were taken at Tampa International Airport. 

Last year, TSA says it detected a total of 6,737 firearms at security checkpoints nationwide, 144 were at TPA. 

According to TSA, 93 percent of the total firearms confiscated nationally were loaded. 

READ: Bringing a gun to TSA checkpoints can be costly mistake or land you in jail

The number of guns confiscated in 2023 is 10 percent higher than in 2022, in which 6,542 guns were found, the report states. 

File: Guns

Tampa International Airport ranked 8th in the nation, in between Orlando International Airport at number 7 and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport at number 9.  

READ: TSA warns about guns in bags at Tampa International Airport as permitless carry causes uptick

Law enforcement expert Kirby Lavallee believes the three Florida airports made the top ten ranking due to new legislation that went into effect July 1, 2023, allowing Florida to be a "Permitless Carry" state. 

He said, "Yes, you can permitless carry in public but there's certain areas where you can't, and the airport is one of those."

File: Passengers moving through TSA checkpoint

TSA requires passengers to lock guns in checked baggage and notify airline desk agents. 

 READ: TPA: Guns still illegal at airports despite Florida's new 'permitless carry' law

"Secure it in a box, the ammo has to be separate," Lavallee stated.  

File: Guns

Violators could face fines up to $15,000, loose TSA Pre-check privileges, or even criminal charges.

"I would urge people to refamiliarize themselves with the TSA website, with the individual airline's website," he said.