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Alleged U.S. gun smuggler schmoozes his way past TSA - guns exported to the UK
Well, isn't this good to know - all it takes to become an international gun smuggler is a charming smile and a good excuse.At least, that is the feeling you get when you read about alleged arms dealer Mr. Steven Greenoe. Mr. Greenoe regularly visited gun shows in North Carolina, loaded disassembled semiautomatic weapons in his luggage and flew them to the United Kingdom, where they sold with a handsome profit.
According to U.K. police, the guns were sold to criminal gangs, and one was reportedly used in a recent drive-by shooting. His 9mm Glocks were purchased at gun shows, and sold for as much as $8000, and as many as 60 guns may have been smuggled on commercial flights, with the help of the TSA.
The whole thing is pretty scary - but it gets worse - When Mr. Greenoe was stopped by TSA agents at Raleigh-Durham airport, he simply told them that he was a legitimate arms dealer, and that the guns were "engineering samples". That is all it takes to get past the people put in charge of our airport security, because he was allowed to board an Atlanta bound plane, and then on to the U.K.
The only upside is that the arms were never carried in his carry-on luggage, but it still makes a mockery of the U.S. security, as U.K. officials now need to ask their U.S. counterparts just how stupid they actually are.
CBS News located his LinkedIn profile - which lists Mr. Greenoe as the CEO of the Jolie Rouge Group, a private security provider.
[Photo: AP]
Filed under: Europe, North America, United Kingdom, United States, News
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Pop Jan 25th 2011 5:36PM
Now we are complaining that TSA isn't covering a foreign country's local ordinances? In the U.S. it is perfectly legal to transport as many guns as you like to anywhere you want. The TSA has no business or authority to ask why you are flying with a gun in your checked bag. If anything, this might be a customs issue, which one has to pass through. On the TSA website, it says firearms must be unloaded, locked inside a hard side case, and declared. (which this man did to his air carrier! Who let him check it in. Who is supposed to know customs rules.) I didn't read where I would be scrutinized for "why" I am flying with them by TSA. TSA does not enforce Customs rules. That is why we have Customs! What next? Excuse me sir, is your bag unlocked? Are you flying to California? Do you have any fruit or vegitables? You are not allowed to travel with that orange to Los Angeles, fruit flies you know. Are you flying to Africa? Can I see proof of your immunizations?
Let the TSA focus on their job. Let's not forget where the true blame lies. U.K. customs. If he took 60 guns at once, the bag would weigh a ton, and should have raised a flag. If he took a couple at a time, they should have monitored the fact that he is visiting pretty frequently with no business Visa and they should have flagged him. Either way, this is at their fault, not the TSA.
Steve Jan 25th 2011 8:37PM
@POP--- Hey didn't you get the memo? As Americans we are responsible for policing the world... If somebody leaves the US with a firearm we are directly responsible for whatever happens next, nevermind the other country didn't protect themselves, it's our fault... And these media types who blast every enforcement agency when something bad happens, since they can so effortlessly find faults and problems with the system should be given a chance to run the system, show us knuckle-draggers how its done... Pay them what, $30,000 a year? Wonder how the stories would change if they had to take some responsibility?
TSA employee Feb 14th 2011 3:23PM
hey to break it to you, you fn jack ass, but he is allowed to bring guns in his checked luggage. before you go mouthing off, it would help if you knew what the hell your talking about.
Appaloosa Jan 26th 2011 9:38AM
seems the problem is with Customs in the UK, not the USA. I agree POP, the issue isn't with TSA, but how he got through custome in the UK.
sralswa Jan 26th 2011 1:39AM
I wish all American males would find the balls to demand TSA stop fondling ours.
purplegrapes119 Jan 25th 2011 11:18PM
"Naked Body Scanner Blamed For Woman’s Death"
Article at infowars.com
American Jan 25th 2011 8:22PM
Yeah, TSA does it again. Bunch of fools.
So what is to keep him from opening the checked luggage and having his buds shoot up baggage arrival on a busy day??
mike Jan 25th 2011 9:21PM
what part of disassembled didnt you understand, also there was no mention of ammunition,,, duhhhh
Agent Orange Jan 25th 2011 9:32PM
Because the guns are disassembled? Didn't you even read the article?
Hi Todd Jan 25th 2011 8:20PM
DumB ass TSA agents, they are a bunch of undeducated 95% Puerto Ricans in Orlando...need i say more, no english and I bet they'd miss the gun parts too!
mike hunt Jan 26th 2011 1:15PM
yeah but the hamsters get to see your wife and children naked,or feel them up
Master Chief Jan 25th 2011 8:34PM
Agree. I have no interest in flying anymore. At least not until this TSA disaster is done with.
luckyfreeman Jan 25th 2011 8:31PM
all you do when youy buy glocks is feed Austrian People where they are manufactured. If you but one here you pay an import tax.. But feed no Americans...The bussiness man should have gone to south American and bought Taurus from Brazil and then brought them to the UK
Agent Orange Jan 25th 2011 9:32PM
If you buy Taurus, you're feeding BRAZILLIANS, NOT AMERICANS! If you really want to contribute to the AMERICAN economy, buy Colt or S&W!
Myrna Jan 25th 2011 8:41PM
I agree with Pop. It is not our duty to enforce customs regulations for other countries. TSA personnel did what they are trained to do. It is legal to transport firearms in the manner described in checked baggage. Those are the rules. Let each country take some responsibility for what is coming in. God forbid. All we need is the rest of the world telling us what we can put in our baggage for domestic flights.
L R Tuggle Jan 25th 2011 8:37PM
This security breech has absolutely nothing to do with TSA or US security. " U.K. officials now need to ask their U.S. counterparts just how stupid they actually are" is the exact opposite of the actual question. The question is why did UK Customs allow someone to repeatedly walk into the country (which has some of the strictest gun laws in the world) with a suitcase full of pistols? Mr. Carmichael is one of the legion of people who write indignantly about things in the air travel industry of which they have no understanding. This spectacular ignorance is regularly displayed on Gadling.com
Scott Carmichael Jan 25th 2011 8:51PM
It is not the job of customs officials to process incoming luggage. Rules at the checkpoint prohibit liquids, and force you to take your shoes off, but nobody from the TSA found it odd that a man with a UK ticket was traveling with a suitcase full of guns and claimed they were just "engineering samples".
While you and I are told to surrender our bottles of water, a man sent 60 guns to the UK that were involved in a drive-by shooting.
That is the problem with security nowadays - too many people only thinking about the simple things, and not capable of adding 1+1.
Agent Orange Jan 25th 2011 9:32PM
Actually, it IS the duty of Customs to process luggage that comes in from overseas -- if it wasn't, what would be the point of having Customs at all?
Andy Jan 25th 2011 10:16PM
Excuse me, Scott, but TSA checks you when you are boarding an airplane to LEAVE. Customs checks luggage when you ARRIVE from a foreign country. The UK is the one at fault for not checking this guy when he got there, not the TSA here in the USA.
jmkjr72 Jan 25th 2011 8:52PM
well i hate to say it if they are declared it is perfectly leagle to put unloaded fire arms in your checked bags as long as it is properly secured
the question should be why did it take so long for british customs to notice this man was violating there laws
basicly what is happening is the britsh goverment is trying to put the blame on us for there failure to enforce there own gun control laws
or is it the reporter be biased