HEBRON, Ky. — A record number of firearms were seized at security checkpoints in CVG during 2023.
According to a new report, TSA officers discovered a total of 54 firearms throughout the year at the airport. In total, more than 6,700 guns were recovered at various Kentucky airports.
The guns were located during routine screenings of carry-on bags at the airport's security checkpoints.
The 54 guns recovered set a new annual record for CVG, marking a fifth consecutive year of increases at the airport.
In 2022, 49 firearms were recovered; 43 were found in 2021; 31 were found in 2020 and 30 were found in 2019.
During 2023, TSA screened more than 858 million passengers and crew nationwide, which is a 12.7% increase from the roughly 761 million screened in 2022. There was an 18.1% increase of people screened in Kentucky airports between 2022 and 2023.
A firearm was discovered by TSA for every 127,447 passenger screened nationwide in 2023, but the rate in Kentucky was nearly double the national rate. In the Commonwealth, a firearm was discovered for every 68,527 passengers.
For those who are detected with a improperly packed firearm, their consequences are up to the discretion of the airport's law enforcement. Travels could face citations or arrest, as well as civil penalties for bringing the firearm to the security checkpoint. Travelers can face a maximum civil penalty of nearly $15,000 per violation, TSA said.
If travelers want to properly transport a firearm, they must be unloaded, packed in a locked, hard-sided case and placed in checked baggage. TSA also advises travelers to check with whichever airline they're using to make sure they meet airline-specific requirements.
For more information on how to transport firearms and ammunition, you can click here.
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