It’s one thing to get a too-large tube of toothpaste confiscated by TSA, but quite another to have your military smoke canister or slingshot taken away in public. While the latter occurrences might sound relatively rare, they’re more frequent than you might think. Even though far fewer people traveled this year due to COVID-19, bold passengers are still trying to sneak banned goods through airport security. For a dose of hilarity as we head into the new year, you can check out TSA’s Instagram account, where there are photos of some of the more unique confiscated items, along with funny captions.
Photo: tsa/Shutterstock
The Strangest Items TSA Confiscated in 2020
Among the bizarre confiscated items are a slingshot discovered at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. While it might not be the most efficient means of inflicting damage on fellow passengers, it’s prohibited nevertheless. Channeling Bart Simpson, TSA wrote in this caption, “Ay, caramba! Don’t get all bart out of shape about forgetting your krusty ol’ sling shot in your carry-on. It’s just not worth having a cow over, man.”
More menacing than a slingshot, a shuriken was confiscated at Greater Rochester International Airport, presumably from a wannabe ninja. “We hate to burst your bubble,” TSA wrote, “but ninja really think this was gonna fly? Shuriken this passenger wasn’t thinking when packing for his trip.”
Among other confiscated items are fireworks, creatively concealed knives, a “cane sword,” a military smoke canister, a baby shark, and more guns than you could possibly imagine.
To browse these items at your leisure, checkout TSA’s Instagram account. 