An anti-tank rifle was found inside checked luggage at the San Antonio International Airport on Monday (January 16), TSA announced.
TSA officers found and confiscated the 84 mm caliber weapon, a spokesperson told KENS5. The owner of the case did not declare any firearm to the airline, which prompted it to be confiscated. It's unclear where the passenger was flying to.
"We don't see that caliber of weapon very often, thank god," the TSA spokesperson said. This kind of weapon, the Carl Gustaf rifle, is one of the most portable anti-tank weapons.
Weapons experts told KENS5 the confiscated weapon "might actually contain a replica Carl Gustaf rifle or an inert display gun." Replica guns can be checked without declaring it to the airline, but they can't fly with these items that resemble explosives. It's unclear if it's allowed to fly with a fake anti-tank weapon of this kind.
In Texas, it's legal to own an anti-tank rifle as long as the owner registers it with the ATF and passes extensive background checks. They can also fly with these weapons, but they need to follow TSA's policies for transporting firearms. Furthermore, guns can be checked at the airport as long as "they're not loaded, stored in a hard-sided container, and if the owner has declared the gun's presence to their airline," KENS5 reports.
"It's really alarming for anyone who wants to travel with that kind of weapon to not follow the rules that are set. They're not difficult. They're not a secret," the TSA spokesperson said.
It's unclear whether the owner of the weapon has been charged with a crime. San Antonio police have taken over the case.