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Ask Gadling: Where do all our TSA checkpoint confiscated knives and corkscrews end up?
A reader asked an interesting question on our Facebook page - what does the TSA do with all our knives, tools and corkscrews after they confiscate them at the checkpoint? We did a bit of homework and found out that the final destination is different for each state.
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In Illinois for example, the TSA delivers all their loot to the state surplus facility, where it is put it up for sale on their auction site. Think Ebay, but with bigger stuff and fewer silly fees for sellers. Small items like knives, kitchenware and tools are sold in bulk, which means you can't go online to buy a single Swiss Army Knife - you need to settle for 90lbs of them, or 80lbs of assorted corkscrews.In some other states with lower amounts of confiscated items, the knives are destroyed. In all states, guns are given to local police agencies.
So, unless you want your $100 Swiss Army Knife to end up at the bottom of a bulk lot of knives being sold for $50, leave it at home or keep it in your checked luggage.
Remember, the TSA checkpoint does not provide mailing envelopes for sending items home, so once they find a restricted item, you'll need to surrender it or leave the checkpoint and find a way to get it sent home. Also, if you show up with an illegal item, you will lose it and will most likely need to answer to an airport police officer.
A list of all state and federal surplus sites can be found here: USA Government sales
Gallery: TSA Confiscated items from the security checkpoint
Filed under: North America, United States, Airports, Travel Security
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
GB Aug 23rd 2010 1:48PM
You do not have a "right" to fly--when you buy a ticket you agree to certain terms and obligations. Don't like it----don't fly--we'll both be better off
leslie Aug 23rd 2010 12:13PM
funny what TSA's will take & not take - I had a pair of folding scissors with a 1" blade taken from me while at the same time, the TSA (male) allowed a woman with a corkscrew to go through... Course she had a well developed figure... go figure
bdc Aug 23rd 2010 12:10PM
Another example of stupid AOL using a misleading headline.....
No locations where confiscated items end up were even included in the article.
AOL content editors are a joke.....
R T LITTLEJOHN Aug 23rd 2010 12:17PM
Why not have the U S Postal Service's flat rate boxes available? This could provide much needed revenue for another FU Gov, Agency.
PA HARDISON Aug 23rd 2010 12:31PM
And who do we have to thank for these problems. Think about it folks. Things weren't like this before 9/11. I refuse to fly unless I have to because they practically strip search us and have so many rules to follow. Think about the real reasons behind all these restrictions.
angieps Aug 23rd 2010 12:42PM
I haven't read throught every comment, so please excuse me if someone else has made this point.
I understand confiscating items deemed as potentially dangerous. However, with all the stories about luggage being broken into, lost or stolen, I don't believe that items like the two bottles of perfume I had taken from me because the bottles contained more than 2 ounces are thrown away or destroyed. I believe that airport security allows airport employees to "shop" for choice items (knives, perfume, alcohol, etc.) before sending the remainder off to be disposed of.
I just don't believe all the items are being thrown away.
Ken Aug 23rd 2010 12:36PM
Your an idiot. If the TSA people want to keep their jobs they dipose of them as trained.
sunny Aug 23rd 2010 12:39PM
Unfortunately, airline"security" is just an illusion to make us feel better.
Someone who really wants to hurt us will always find a way to bring something on board that is potentially dangerous.
Until we stop being politically correct and search the most like individuals out there, taking away Granny's nail file is NOT going to stop terroism/
Abbygirl Aug 23rd 2010 12:46PM
Oh...I had a very bad item taken from my bag...baby oil, which I use to take my eye makeup off. I could have done some real damage with that!!
JR Aug 23rd 2010 12:46PM
I completely agree with Everly505. This is a great way for the Post Office to make revenue when they are hurting for business with the competition of FedEx, UPS, etc.
Don't put anything of value in your CHECKED luggage. I'm sick and tired of the thieves @TSA and/or airline employees rummaging through and taking what they want ... Ray Ban sunglasses, CD's, etc.
It takes so long to get through security @ Los Angeles (not to mention the traffic just to get to the airport), I find myself driving a lot more and flying a lot less! We'll be driving to Virginia this Spring ... I can bring the dogs and as many Swiss army knives and corkscrews as I please!!
nick Aug 23rd 2010 1:06PM
I wonder how many of these items go home with the TSA person confiscating them .Just because their TSA doesn't make them honest
james russell Aug 23rd 2010 1:10PM
That's alright, they can't provide the information because TSA won't give it out. It's your responsiblity to make sure that you don't have anything that is on the list. But the troubling thing is my son went to Starwars convention in Orlando and on the first leg of the trip he was able to carrying his purchased "Light Sabre" on to the plane and stow it away in the over head bin. When he changed flights in Houston the TAS agent told him that the Airline bin (Southwest Airlines) wouldn't hold the "Light Sabre" and he had to go back and check it into luggage. Turned out the a--hole was wrong. Southwest did not have a problem with him carrying it on board. Guess the Agent thought that he would leave it at the desk so the sob could take it for his son.
Katmaan Aug 23rd 2010 7:40PM
Interesting idea but wouldn't it be nice if the writer would have actually made a list of how these items are dealt with at all major airports around the country
ln419 Aug 23rd 2010 1:52PM
My husband was traveling with his mom from Ft. Lauderdale to Chgo after cleaning out his grandmother's apartment after she died. The 1 item he remembered from his youth was a letter opener. Now, I realize how dangerous antique, sterling European letter openers can be. Thing is, he HAD an extra envelope and stamps with him, IN his pocket, WHILE STANDING IN LINE. He asked if he could have it back, HE'D wrap it, AND mail it to our home. I don't know, sounds reasonable to me, and several folks have mentioned it in their ideas. They refused. Now some TSA agent has a valuable piece of our family's history.
My husband also caught them red-handed stealing my jewelry in my carry-on, 1 was stealing, while the 2nd was "checking" my c-pap (breathing machine). My advice is always travel with a "buddy", so when they "double team" you, you have 2 sets of eyes on them, not just yours, because you're busy putting on your shoes, and watching one thing, and they're screwing you with the other. Honest people + big government? I think not.
Keith Wing Sep 13th 2010 4:39PM
Generally your employees should make a point to return their bosses property. So yes the TSA should go out of their way and do what's necessary to get the items back to their owners. Better yet they should let everyone carry weapons on the plane to increase safety. No explosives but guns and knives should be encouraged.