TSA Top 10

TSA’s Top 10 Finds of 2020

It has become a tradition for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to release an annual “Top 10” list of the ‘best’ things the agency’s officers find travelers’ checked and carry-on bags.

The list for 2020 has just been issued in video form (below).

What made the TSA list?

#10 was a sling shot.

#9: Knives hidden in a hollowed out book.

#8 was a stash of 107 Roman candles found New York’s LaGuardia Airport in early November 2020.

#7: A smoke grenade found at Dulles International Airport

#6 A shark in a jar, found at Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR) in November.

#5 Again at LaGuardia in November, 2020. TSA officers spotted what looked like a pipe bomb in a carry-on bag. “When one of the end caps was removed, a partially smoked cigar was found inside,” TSA reports, “It turned out that the item was a homemade humidor for a traveler’s cigars.”

#4 Marijuana concealed inside checked bags, discovered at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS).

#3 In July, while scanning checked baggage at Newark-Liberty International Airport, TSA officers found an assault rifle, a high-capacity magazine, four boxes of hollow-point bullets, three magazines, one of which was fully loaded, and two additional boxes of rifle ammunition “artfully concealed” (as TSA says) in the lining of a checked bag.

#2 In September at John F. Kennedy International Airport TSA officers spotted two large electronic items wired to what appeared to be a tampered power source. It looked like an improvised explosive device but was later identified as a solar panel wired to the batteries to power the electronic item.

#1 Here TSA’s list of great ‘catches’ veers into the “aw, that’s romantic.”

These two lovebirds are TSA canine handlers at Newark Liberty International Airport. They got married in June and, of course, Obelix and Proto were on hand to help celebrate.

Here’s the full TSA video of the Top 10 Catches of 2020.

For your entertainment, we’ve include a few Top 10 lists from past years too.

And here’s why we still really miss TSA’s Bob Burns.

TSA shares Top Ten Finds of 2019

Airline passengers attempt to take some odd, unusual and definitely prohibited items with them on airplanes.

Transportation Security Administration officers see it all.

And, as has become its tradition, TSA has created and now shares a list and a video of its Top 10 Finds from the past year.

The list, shared in descending order, includes the airports where each item was found:

10. Samurai Swords, San Jose International Airport (SJC)

9. Road flares, Anchorage International Airport (ANC)

8. Gun/Knife, Miami International Airport (MIA)

7. Auto Airbag, Orlando International Airport (MCO)

6. Power Saw, Bradley International Airport (BDL)

5. Martial Arts Sais, LaGuardia Airport (LGA)

4. Blow Dart Gun, Orlando Melbourne International Airport (MLB)

3. Uninvited Snake, Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)

2. Butcher Knife, Tri-Cities Airport (TRI)

1. Moose Poop, Juneau International Airport (JNU)

Take a look.

TSA’s Top 10 Most Unusual Finds of 2018

The Transportation Security Administration found a record number of firearms – 4,239 – in carry-on bags at the nation’s airports last year.

The agency also found a wide variety of unusual items. Like these inert grenades dressed in tuxedos.

Want to see more?

Here’s TSA’s video of the Top 10 Most Unusual Checkpoint Finds from 2018.

In case you missed it, here are the TSA’s Top 10 Most Unusual Finds from previous years.