The TSA says it confiscates an average of 18 firearms a day at airports, and over 90% of them are loaded

A TSA security checkpoint at Denver International Airport.

More than 5,000 firearms were found at airport security checkpoints in the first nine months of this year, the Transportation Security Administration said this week.

It added that there was an average of 18.3 firearms intercepted every day — and 93% of them were loaded.

The TSA releases such statistics quarterly to encourage travelers to double-check the rules. Firearms can only be transported in checked bags and can’t be brought through TSA security checkpoints.

In 2023, 6,737 firearms were detected at TSA checkpoints, a record, beating the previous maximum of 6,542, which occurred in 2022.

If 2024’s trend were to continue into the fourth quarter, the total number of firearms detected would likely be around 6,700, a similar figure to 2023.

From July to September this year, the TSA detected 7.5 firearms for every million passengers it screened. That’s down from 8.1 per million across the same period in 2023.

If the TSA finds a firearm at a security checkpoint, it contacts local law enforcement, and the person in possession can be arrested in some circumstances. The agency can also issue a fine of up to $15,000.

“TSA is committed to keeping travelers, our officers, and airport employees safe, and the number of firearms being discovered at airport security checkpoints remains a significant challenge,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske.

“Each firearm brought to a checkpoint, whether by accident or on purpose, presents a threat to other passengers and our employees, and causes delays for the traveler with the firearm,” he added.

Between December 2023 and May, five American tourists were arrested in Turks and Caicos on suspicion of possessing ammunition.

Ryan Watson, 40, was arrested in April after ammunition was found in his luggage at the airport. He told NBC Boston that the bullets were unknowingly left in a duffel bag from a deer hunting trip and weren’t detected by airport security in the US.