Passenger arrested with assault rifle in luggage at US airport
A passenger has been stopped trying to board a flight at Newark International Airport after TSA screening agents discovered an automatic assault rifle similar to an AK-47 in the man’s luggage.
Agents also discovered loaded magazines as he proceeded to catch a Southwest Airlines flight headed to Chicago.
Adam Urbano 23, from Valparaiso, Indiana, was arrested by Port Authority Police and is being remanded on $50,000 bail.
He is being charged with unlawful possession of an assault firearm after being unable to produce the required registration documents.
He told police he had checked in luggage containing the weapon when flying from Chicago on April 17, and collected it at baggage reclaim at New Jersey on arrival.
The police did not disclosed why he attempted to carry the weapon on board the return flight to Chicago.
According to TSA rules, air travellers may check-in unloaded firearms in a secure hard-sided suitcase but any type of firearm, including replica guns, are not permitted in carry-on baggage.
Last year, a gunman opened fire at Los Angeles Airport with an assault rifle killing TSA agent Gerardo Hernandez and injuring several others.
Yesterday, Hernandez’ family filed a $25 million claim against the City of Los Angeles citing inadequate security at the airport.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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