Remember That Time TSA Found a Mortar Round In A Checked Bag at an Indiana Airport

While social media may be the bane of our existence some days with all of the misinformation and oversharing that takes place there, it can be good to remind us of things we were thinking, doing, or talking about in years past with its Memories feature.

Thank You Facebook for This Reminder

It was in my Facebook Memories that I came across the reminder of the weird and unusual discovery made by TSA at our own Evansville Regional Airport.

No Doubt Airport Security Checkpoints are Inconvenient

The TSA - or Transportation Security Association - are the folks who check our luggage and man the security checkpoints for safety concerns. If you have flown anytime since 2001, you likely know that it can be a pretty intense experience to pass through a TSA checkpoint, even if you are doing all the right things.

No Knives or Guns Allowed

There are of course certain items that you cannot carry onto a plane, either in a carry-on bag or a piece of checked luggage. We all know our toiletries need to be in 3 oz sizes or smaller to be carried on. We all know you can't carry a knife or gun, or even a taser onto a plane, but clearly, not all of us have a good grasp on what is and isn't allowed to fly.

TSA Shares Unusual Finds

It was back in 2018 that the TSA shared an interesting discovery on their Instagram page - a discovery that was not only prohibited from being transported on a plane but found in a checked bag at Indiana's Evansville Regional Airport.

What was the unusual discovery?

Brace yourself for this... Apparently a traveler passing through Evansville Regional Airport thought they would be able to make it through security with an inert mortar round in their bag. The TSA shared a photo of the antique bombshell on their Instagram and  according to them:

Some travelers are extremely cautious about what they pack, while others lob inert mortar rounds into their bags. This inert mortar round was discovered in a checked bag at the Evansville Regional Airport (EVV).
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While packing items like this can ruin your day, they can also make it a pretty bad for your fellow travelers. Inert ordnance can lead to costly evacuations, delays, and missed flights while explosives professionals determine whether the item is inert or actual live ordnance.

 

TSA also points out that items like this can also lead to big fines and even jail time.

Not Exactly a Bomb-*ss Idea

While we never learned whether or not this particular traveler ended up facing any fines or why they were transporting a mortar onto a plane in the first place, we are willing to bet that they will twice before they try to fly with anything like this again.

What Kind of Other Weird Stuff Has TSA Encountered?

It isn't just mortar shells and it isn't just Evansville. The TSA has found some really strange things that people have tried to sneak through security. Keep scrolling to see five of our favorites.

Slow Cooking Bank Roll

We aren't sure why this traveler thought that concealing cash inside a slow cooker wouldn't get noticed by TSA agents, but yet, here we are. This one was found at Boston Logan International Airport.

Don't Drop the Soap

TSA agents in Newark Liberty International Airport, in Newark, New Jersey discovered some squeaky clean ammo tucked away inside a bar of soap. Be sure you peep the puns in the post from TSA.

But It's Gold Nucks and Bullets - All In One

Found at New York's Laguardia Airport, this double whammy had TSA agents cracking all of the 24 Karat jokes!

Snakes on a Plane

It may ssssseem like a no-brainer here, but you cannot fly your pet snake on a plane. Especially not smuggled away inside a computer like this traveler in at Miami International Airport.

My What Big Bombs... I Mean Grenades You Have

Evansville wasn't the only place with an explosive experience. These two grenades were found by TSA agents at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.