TSA officers at Watertown International Airport in upstate New York recently made a surprising discovery during a routine security screening. They found a spent M18 smoke grenade hidden inside an aerosol container in a passenger’s carry-on bag.
The incident occurred during a TSA inspection, where Officer Yessenia Alvarez expressed concern over the unusual appearance of the aerosol container and alerted Lead TSA Officer Melissa Graffam. Upon closer inspection, Graffam noted that the top of the can looked strange, and when opened, it revealed the smoke grenade.
The passenger claimed he had forgotten the grenade was in his bag, which raised eyebrows since his luggage contained only a few items. After confirming with an explosives expert that the grenade was not live, the TSA team handled the situation professionally, ensuring the safety of the checkpoint.
This find was particularly unusual for the small airport, which typically sees more common prohibited items like knives and oversized liquid containers. TSA officials underscored the importance of thoroughly checking bags before travel, emphasizing that even spent or inert items can cause significant disruptions and invoke a law enforcement response.
In a separate incident at Tampa International Airport, TSA officers discovered a double-edged knife concealed within a baseball bat-shaped flashlight. Officials advise travelers not to test security protocols, highlighting that attempts to bring prohibited items through checkpoints will likely lead to detection.
