Gun confiscations at Tampa International Airport security checkpoints have been rising, and if the numbers stay high, the airport could become among the top three in the nation for firearms seizures.
Media outlets report that last year, Transportation Security Administration officers discovered 49 guns on passengers or in their carry-on luggage at the Tampa airport.
Since Jan. 1, 10 firearms have turned up in the security line. TSA federal security director for the Tampa Bay region Lee Kair says that at that rate, Tampa International will rank among the top three airports in the country for guns found at the security checkpoint.
It's legal for concealed carry permit holders to leave a gun in checked bags, but the weapon must be in a locked, hardshell case and the traveler must notify the airline.