FLORIDA, USA — The number of firearms discovered at Florida airports in 2024 is down from 2023, authorities said.
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers across Florida airports discovered 382 firearms in carry-on luggage between Jan. 1 and June 30, a 14-count drop from 2023's total of 396.
A study shows that the TSA screened approximately 60.9 million departing travelers across all Florida airports. This number is 7.5% more than the number of passengers screened in 2023.
Tampa International Airport (TPA) discovered 51 firearms during 2024 screenings, a 16-count drop from 2023, according to a TSA report. The Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) saw a six-count drop, from 16 in 2023 to eight in 2024. The St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) also saw a drop in firearm discoveries, from nine in 2023 to five in 2024.
Florida firearm discoveries accounted for 12.2% of all U.S. discoveries in 2023 but dropped to 11.7% in 2024, according to the report.
TPA also reported that the airport saw a 76% increase in firearms caught at TSA checkpoints after a Florida permitless carry law took effect on July 1, 2023. TIA also ranked in the top ten of all airports for the most guns found in 2022, according to a TSA report.
A firearm can only be transported on a commercial aircraft when it is unloaded, packed in a locked, hard-sided case and placed in check baggage, according to TSA.
Those who bring firearms to security checkpoints may face several criminal and civil penalties. People who violate rules regarding traveling with firearms will have TSA PreCheck eligibility revoked for up to five years and will be flagged for enhanced screening during future travels.
Airport law enforcement decides what happens to the firearm and traveler on a case-by-case basis. Local law enforcement may arrest the individual, as well as assign civil penalties of a maximum of nearly $15,000 per violation. TSA considers whether the firearm was loaded and if there was accessible ammunition, according to a news release.
