While travelers try to bring an alarming number of guns through airport security every year, this has to be one of the stranger attempts…
In this post:
Fort Lauderdale TSA finds gun stuffed in chicken
TSA agents at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) recently discovered an unusually concealed gun at a checkpoint. Specifically, a woman traveling to Haiti attempted to travel with a gun, and tried to conceal it in… raw chicken?!
The traveler ended up being barred from flying, and was taken into custody by US Customs and Border Protection officials.
Based on the method of concealment, it’s pretty clear that this wasn’t just some Second Amendment lover who forgot to leave their gun at home, but rather this was obviously an attempt to smuggle a gun internationally. But my gosh, this has to be one of the most poorly thought out smuggling attempts ever:
- Food is often subject to extra screening at TSA checkpoints
- Simply placing a gun inside of a raw chicken won’t cause it to not show up on the x-ray
- Was the plan then to enter Haiti with the gun still hidden in raw chicken, because generally entering a foreign country with raw meat isn’t allowed without declaring it
The TSA shared images of the “bust” on social media, and as usual, accompanied it with endless dad jokes and puns:
There’s a personal fowl here…
The plot chickens as we barrel our way closer to Thanksgiving. For us, it’s a time to be thankful that our officers are always working around the cluck to keep you safe. Take for instance this “hen you believe it?” find at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. We hate to beak it to you here, but stuffing a firearm in your holiday bird for travel is just a baste of time. This idea wasn’t even half-baked; it was raw, greasy, and obviously unsupervised. The only roast happening here is this poor packing choice!
The TSA stops an alarming number of guns
While the method of concealment here is noteworthy, unfortunately the concept of trying to take a gun through a security checkpoint isn’t. In 2021, TSA agents stopped over 5,000 guns at security checkpoints, which comes out to an average of roughly 15 guns daily.
That’s only the number of guns that were caught — it’s anyone’s guess how many successfully made it onto planes. Based on the TSA’s historical lack of success with catching weapons when tests are performed, I have to imagine that a not-insignificant number of guns make it through checkpoints.
Most people with guns at checkpoints claim they didn’t realize they had them. I imagine that’s true some of the time, though certainly not always. One of the issues is that the punishment for taking a gun through security is minimal, especially if it’s decided that it was an honest mistake.
Bottom line
While travelers trying to take guns through security checkpoints is a daily occurrence in the United States, a recent bust in Fort Lauderdale was strange even by TSA standards. A woman headed to Haiti attempted to conceal a handgun inside raw chicken, which was a bad idea on many fronts.
With 5,000+ people getting caught annually with guns at TSA checkpoints, one has to wonder how many people don’t get caught.
What do you make of this TSA raw chicken gun story?
I'm a gun owner, carry it everyday. A week before I get on a flight, all my clothes are washed to ensure that there is no gun powder residue to set off any alarms, my luggage is inspected for anything gun related, like spent casings, etc. There is no reason for me to "forget" I have my gun on me.
Big question not answered here: Was this in checked luggage or carry-on? It's completely legal to have (unloaded) guns in checked luggage. I suspect it's the smuggling that was the problem here (hence being arrested by CBP rather than airport police and/or FBI) rather than the trying to take a gun on a plane.
Of course, it's extremely stupid either way. All bags, checked or carry-on, get screened by TSA in the U.S. You're not...
Big question not answered here: Was this in checked luggage or carry-on? It's completely legal to have (unloaded) guns in checked luggage. I suspect it's the smuggling that was the problem here (hence being arrested by CBP rather than airport police and/or FBI) rather than the trying to take a gun on a plane.
Of course, it's extremely stupid either way. All bags, checked or carry-on, get screened by TSA in the U.S. You're not going to get a gun through very easily.
I suspect that this was a (very poor) attempt to bring a gun into Haiti for personal protection, not an attempt to actually use a gun in flight.
I'm glad it wasn't found in a live one.
What a nut case.............. They should be arrested if a US citizen and NEVER allowed to fly again. If not a US citizen, they should be deported and NEVER allowed back in the USA, NEVER!!! This kinda stuff should not be tolerated in the USA and flying world anywhere with ZERO tolerance.
Meh...once had a Nigerian priest get caught with a loaded 9mm at JFK.
If he couldn't hide a gun behind God then this certainly wasn't hiding it in a chicken!
Nothing fowl here.
The gun cocked and loaded.
I know it's no excuse to allow a gun on a plane, but I have to think that the deteriorating security and civil unrest in Haiti is likely a HUGE motivation for this woman to take drastic (though not well executed) measures to bring a gun with her to Haiti. Having flown in/out of PAP twice I'm familiar with how frequently kidnappings occur in the area just outside of the airport. I've also heard that...
I know it's no excuse to allow a gun on a plane, but I have to think that the deteriorating security and civil unrest in Haiti is likely a HUGE motivation for this woman to take drastic (though not well executed) measures to bring a gun with her to Haiti. Having flown in/out of PAP twice I'm familiar with how frequently kidnappings occur in the area just outside of the airport. I've also heard that gangs are increasingly taking more control of the city, including areas like Cite Soleil right near the airport.
Again, people shouldn't take a gun on a plane ever. But maybe let's consider the question "What happened or is happening in this person's life that is causing them to think this is a good idea?". I'm sympathetic to the plight of Haitians both living in and escaped/escaping from Haiti and I'm glad I never had to consider smuggling a gun in a raw chicken as a solution for my problems.
Getting a gun in Haiti is almost as hard and expensive as in Venezuela due to restrictions (with almost 'absolute gun control' so only the bad guys are armed). And it's even more dangerous to live in Venezuela. So your point is pretty valid. But i'm inclined to think the motivation in this case was for the 'expensive' part than for self defense.
One CAN legally ship a gun domestically on an aircraft if one contacts the airline ahead of time and follows various procedures. I've done it. Internationally? All bets are off.
Even possible internationally. Take some poorer African countries which allow game hunting. Saw a few guns at check-in at Frankfurt on Ethopian and also some at the airport in Zimbabwe. However, for sure it’s a huge hassle.
Clearly a bird brain move
The craziest people in America come from The Bronx and all of Florida.
@Mike O
And also your home address.
Because 'Merica.
Lesson to gun smugglers: check the TSA guidelines first.
...people will certainly people.