TSA officers at Alabama’s Gulf Shores International Airport made a surprising discovery when they found five stolen Civil War-era cannonballs in a traveler’s checked luggage. The cannonballs, which were wrapped in paper towels, were detected by Lead TSA Officer Justin Dupree after an alarm sounded during the screening process.
Investigation and Response
Dupree, who has been a TSA officer for four years, said he had never seen anything like this before. He immediately called for assistance, and a supervisor joined him to review the images and the bag. The TSA explosives specialist and assistant federal security director-law enforcement were also notified.
The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene, and the cannonballs were found to be inert, with no explosive material or active components. Despite being inert, the cannonballs were still considered prohibited items and could not be brought on the plane.
The passenger told police they were unsure how the cannonballs ended up in their possession. The cannonballs were later returned to Fort Morgan, a historic site in Alabama that played a significant role in several military conflicts, including the Civil War.
Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
