I was watching the news this morning and there are some people facing 12 years in jail for having ammunition in their luggage. There was no mention of guns, just ammunition. My question to the gun people here how could you possibly not know you had ammunition in your luggage? Doesn’t the ammunition go where the gun goes? This case is some island somewhere so it’s not like forgetting you had a box of shells in your truck when entering Canada. Confusing.
Accidents and mistakes happen but there really is no excuse. I work somewhere with an entry process similar to TSA and sometimes have to get my own vehicle searched. Having weapons or ammo on you or your possessions is a huge deal and there are locations in my industry where it’s one strike and you’re out, no second changes. So it’s a conscious decision to clear your stuff out.
I’ve read about this too. Its Turks & Caicos Islands (British Territory) in the Caribbean Sea.
Their laws clearly state that anyone caught with ammo trying to board a plane there is subject to up to 12 years in prison. These individuals knew the rules ahead of time and were warned…and still had ammo in their luggage. Now they’re subject to the law on the books. I don’t quite understand how someone wouldn’t know they had ammo either.
I’ve often used my frame pack as a carry on when I’ve flown to out of state hunts, but I also use it (with a smaller bag) as a daypack when hunting locally. I’ve learned to triple/quadruple check all the pockets to make sure I didn’t stuff a shell in somewhere that I’ve forgotten about before I pack it for a flight.
Easily happens, and it happened to me. I used a backpack for both going to both the gun range and for traveling on airplanes. It was large enough for me to carry multiple different cartridges of ammunition for all my pistols 9mm, 10mm, .45 and .22 and also long rifles, eye and hearing protection and other accessories when I went to the range and large enough to use for when I traveled on the airlines for my headphones, tablets and other stuff. I always checked it over good before going to the airlines but a 9mm live shell had fallen into one of the corners and I missed it. Funny thing though was when I was traveling first out of Anchorage they never caught it, but when traveling back to Anchorage a little airport in central Wisconsin caught it. Nothing happened and they confiscated the shell, but I could see how it can happen. Didn’t see the need to have 2 different backpacks the same size so I used one for both and always thought I checked it over good. With that being said I don’t see how you could miss like a box of shells, but could miss a couple of individual shells if you weren’t careful, and also saw how the difference in TSA at the airports. Anchorage TSA missed the shell out of Anchorage on my first flight, but the small central Wisconsin airport caught it on my return flight, and remembering back I not sure if I hadn’t traveled (flown going through TSA) on flights prior before they caught it.
A buddy of mine just told me that his son was going through TSA at the airport in Dallas recently and had a handgun in his bag that he forgot about. I dont know how someone could forget this kind of thing. Thankfully it wasnt loaded and since he had a clean record so they didnt charge him with anything but he wasnt able to fly with his family he was detained for a few days so his little girls were terrified about what was happening to dad.
Raise your hand if you’ve had a knife confiscated by TSA, a knife you had no idea was in the bag because **shocker** you use that bag for more than just flying. 
It happens all the time, every single day in major airports
This guy isn’t the only one facing an insane prison sentence for this. Hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of people travel there every year, they rely on tourism. Mistakes are bound to happen and 12 years in prison for not double checking a bag is BS
It happens. A lot of people shoot a lot. I find loose rounds in my vehicle once in a while. Freedom.
It happens. A lot of people shoot a lot. I find loose rounds in my vehicle once in a while. Freedom.
I understand vehicles. I don’t understand if you’re flying.
In both cases it sounded like they used a backpack for hunting, and just missed the shells in the bag. Oddly enough I know one of them was found as they were leaving…which makes the punishment even stranger imo. And to your second question, no ammo doesn’t necessarily follow the gun, most people have lots of ammo and few guns.
Dutch, I don’t know if you got to the part of the story where they said he had “TWO Rounds”.
If he had a box or even a have empty box of 25 rounds, well he should have known better. Frequently I find a loose round in my pocket the day after going to a range.
Two Rounds and no gun? 12 Years? I don’t think so.
12 years in prison does seem ridiculous for such a violation but its not American soil. Its a British territory. I think most of us would agree that Russian laws are outrageous too, but if you are there it would be wise to follow their laws, or pay the price.
Or just avoid going to Turks & Caicos if you are unable to check your bag for ammo.
Most of the rest of the world does not have nearly as loose gun/ammo laws like we do.
Dutch, I don’t know if you got to the part of the story where they said he had “TWO Rounds”.
If he had a box or even a have empty box of 25 rounds, well he should have known better. Frequently I find a loose round in my pocket the day after going to a range.
Two Rounds and no gun? 12 Years? I don’t think so.
Glad to have you back.
Would you check your pockets prior to getting on a flight? These vacations weren’t to Wisconsin Dells in a Tesla, it was a flight to a foreign country. I don’t get it.
Certainly i would check my pants pockets, but my black suitcase has many small black pockets in it. I found ChapStick then them that’s dried out!
I find loose rounds in many places. We shoot all the time and I have different back packs for different applications, these same bags get used for all sorts of hunting or hiking or even traveling. I could easily see missing a round or 2. Sucks but it happens.
When I fly and bring guns I always just make sure to fly with loaded mags, that way I have no loose ammo.
….and even though he was joking, Bearcat never made it thru TSA again. 
Well, look who’s back! Forget your password BK ?
-J.
Steve Renella, meateater podcast, just talked too both of the guys involved. 30 min long, worth the listen.
I wonder if the US is going to try and get them out like they did with Brittney Griner, swap a fugitive. Highly doubtful, what a joke that was.
….and even though he was joking, Bearcat never made it thru TSA again.
No for real when we fly with guns we always have loaded mags. 100 percent legal and within rules. Can not have loose ammo, but a loaded mag is not loose ammo. Obviously completely different then what this thread is about.
BC at least you didnt say clips.
Just shows you how good we have it here. For now…
Flew from Chicago to DC, went on a few tours of Smithsonian, Senate buildings, capitol. Accidentally wandered around Homeland Security for half an hour because their office was connected to the hotel conference center, flew home, found multiple random rounds in a pocket in my backpack while unpacking.
I agree there’s just no excuse when flying. It’s pretty startling to hear how many firearms are confiscated during check-in. Thousands per year.
A number of years ago we were doing a project at MSP and we had to drive in to the flightline area. Our vehicles got a once over every time we entered, but usually not searched thoroughly. The one time my partner’s truck got searched he had left a couple 12ga shells in his console after a weekend of trap shooting. They were not impressed. Stopped short of a cavity search, but he learned his lesson! 
A few loose rounds in a coat or a bag what’s the difference? I get it that they should have known things before they flew but poop happens.
Should someone go to prison if he/she gets busted if they accidentally forgot to empty the ammo or guns out of the car or coats when they go onto the high school grounds?? Back in the day it would be normal for me to have a shotgun and ammo in my car at school. A guy needed to be able to road hunt birds on the way home or at lunchtime…
Should someone go to prison if he/she gets busted if they accidentally forgot to empty the ammo or guns out of the car or coats when they go onto the high school grounds??
This isn’t our country, so a person needs to play by their rules or don’t go. It’s no different than not being allowed into Canada with a DWI. It doesn’t need to make sense to us…..it’s their law.
I won’t get into the school aspect as it’s a different topic.
Yeah other countries rules on firearms are nothing like here. Some you can’t even own guns or it’s very dang hard.
I take my Truck to Canada Yearly and it is mainly used for Hunting and fishing. Before these trips I would go through and clean out my truck. Lots of loose rounds around and now finding them more places as my son grows and has interest in shooting and just a general knowledge he wants to obtain. Often my carry on his my day pack.
It is nice last year I took my wife’s Tahoe no Bullets in their crossing the border was nice not to have to go through the vehicle.
Just shows you how good we have it here.
I agree with that statement.
When you visit another country, you abide by their rules or you pay the consequences. I would expect nothing less for a visitor coming here either.
It’s no different than not being allowed into Canada with a DWI. It doesn’t need to make sense to us…..it’s their law.
Denying entry and a 12 year prison sentence are no different? 
Did he buy the shells there, probably not. So tell me if not only the person who probably checked his bag before his trip only to miss two shells probably shoved down in a corner seam of the backpack. How did he ever fly out of America where you have to go through TSA? Never should have ever gotten out of the US with those two rounds if TSA was doing their job. So it would seem that not only the individual, but TSA made a mistake. In my backpack that is military style there are multiple pockets and seams so it’s very easy to miss a round, especially it’s a smaller caliber. No different than missing a shell in your car that you purposely went throughly over before driving to Canada. Think of how many places a shell can hide in your vehicle. Guess some people never make a mistake though.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
