Man sneaks 17 bullets inside a diaper at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, held

It was not what you would expect—it was a loaded diaper. At New York’s LaGuardia Airport on Wednesday, security personnel discovered 17 bullets hidden inside a disposable baby diaper, according to the Transportation Security Administration. The TSA stated that after the diaper set off an alarm in an X-ray machine at an airport security checkpoint, officers removed the otherwise clean diaper from the passenger’s carry-on bag. The passenger initially stated, according to the agency, that he had no idea how the diaper containing bullets got into his bag. Later on, he advised his girlfriend to place it there, according to the agency. The TSA identified the passenger as a man from Arkansas who was ticketed for a flight to Chicago’s Midway Airport, but did not disclose his name. Port Authority police cited him for unlawful possession of the 9mm ammunition. Messages seeking details were left with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs the airport, and the Queens district attorney’s office. The diaper disguiser is just the latest LaGuardia passenger to be flagged for packing bullets – and sometimes heat. It’s a problem that has cropped up at airports across the US Last month, TSA officers found a .45-calibre pistol and a magazine loaded with six bullets concealed in a pair of Nike trainers in a checked bag at LaGuardia. Firearms are allowed to be transported as checked luggage, but only in a locked, hard-sided container – not shoes. In January 2021, officers at a security checkpoint intercepted 13 bullets hidden in a Mentos chewing gum container inside a carry-on bag. The bullets were mixed in with pieces of gum, the TSA said. The passenger, who was charged with unlawful possession of ammunition, claimed the bag belonged to his son, the agency said. In April, officers pulled a loaded .22-calibre pistol and two boxes of ammunition – more than 100 bullets total – from a carry-on bag. That passenger claimed he had been at a shooting range and forgot to remove the gun and bullets before heading to the airport, the TSA said. He was still arrested. (with inputs from The Associated Press)