Well now, here's a feather in your cap, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. According to the Transportation Security Administration, you have intercepted more guns than any other Florida airport this year.
It's the second consecutive year the airport has that distinction, sort of making it the Miami Heat of airports that intercept guns from people trying to board planes.
The experts are baffled, because fewer travelers go through Fort Lauderdale than say, Miami International and Orlando International airports.
The TSA has intercepted 38 guns so far in 2013 at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International while intercepting 35 in Orlando and 30 in Miami. Palm Beach International Airport has intercepted ten guns so far this year (hustle it up, Palm Beach International!).
The good news, we suppose, is that the number is down slightly from last year, when the TSA nabbed 42 guns at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood. If you count four shy as "down slightly."
The kicker to all this, according to the Sun Sentinel, is that the majority of those caught with guns at the airport had concealed weapons permits.
Florida, as you may or may not be aware, is the concealed weapons permit capital of the world. So, there's that.
The BSO says that those caught with guns range in age, race, and gender. And the guns nabbed are in a wide range of variety:
Among the guns intercepted in Fort Lauderdale in just the past three weeks:• A Glock 26, loaded with ten rounds, was caught October 13.
• A 9mm Smith &Wesson loaded with 16 rounds was found October 11.
• A Glock 19 with five rounds was confiscated October 10.
• A .380 Ruger LCP loaded with five rounds was found October 7.
Most violators are charged with carrying a concealed weapon, a first-degree misdemeanor, and given a notice to appear in court. Most make their flights.
Well, as long as they make their flights!
Police say that people's main excuse seems to be that they forgot they had a gun in their luggage, which is odd.
Authorities also say that many caught at the Fort Lauderdale airport are repeat passengers, which means these people are really forgetful or they need to find another place to stash their guns instead of their luggage or they really, really want to bring a gun on an airplane.
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