Bear spray and meth in a burrito: TSA releases its list of unusual confiscated items of 2021
Forget accidentally bringing a full-sized tube of toothpaste to the airport — agents confiscated a myriad of unusual items at checkpoints in 2021, including a "meth burrito." The Transportation Security Administration released its annual list of some of the oddest confiscated items from 2021 in a Twitter post Monday.
The top confiscated item was a chainsaw confiscated at the New Orleans International Airport, but the full list includes gems like a belt buckle made with a real firearm and deodorant casing full of bullets.
It’s here! “TSA’s Top 10 Catches of 2021!” From bear spray to meth-rritos, our officers found some truly unusual items. They worked hard to keep travelers safe as they returned to the skies. What would you pick as your number one catch? Let us know! #TSATop10 pic.twitter.com/3o2zQs5IrC
— TSA (@TSA) January 10, 2022
The news comes as the security agency saw the largest number of holiday travelers since the start the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 holiday season brought more than 110 million Americans to airports around the country, according to the agency. December 26 alone saw nearly 2.1 million people screened at TSA stations.
The agency also announced that 2021 marked the highest number of guns ever confiscated in its history, with 5,674 guns stopped by agents at checkpoints. At least 85% of the confiscated firearms were loaded with ammunition, the TSA told CBS News in December.
Below is the full list of what the agency calls its top confiscated items of 2021:
- Chainsaw - New Orleans International Airport
- Gun-themed wine holder - Sacramento International Airport
- Fireworks - Syracuse Hancock International Airport (New York)
- Machete - Reagan National Airport (Washington, D.C.)
- Bear spray - Destin/Fort Walton Beach Airport (Florida)
- Cleaver - Harrisburg International Airport (Pennsylvania)
- Firearm buckle - Honolulu International Airport
- Meth burrito - Hobby International Airport (Texas)
- Pistol - Newark International Airport
- Bullets in deodorant - Atlantic City International Airport (New Jersey)