DES MOINES, Iowa – The Transportation Security Administration says its officers caught a man with a loaded gun in his carry-on at the Des Moines International Airport over the weekend.

The TSA says the 9 mm handgun was loaded with five bullets, including one in the chamber, and was in the man’s carry-on luggage when it was discovered Saturday.

The Des Moines Police Department was called immediately and responded to confiscate the gun, then issued a weapons citation to the traveler who is a resident of Guam.

The TSA says as of Oct. 4th there have been four guns detected at security checkpoints at the Des Moines International Airport in 2020. In both 2018 and 2019, TSA officers discovered 12 guns through security screenings.

Travelers are permitted to bring firearms with them, but they have to be unloaded and packed in a locking hard-sided case. They need to declare it to the airline and the airline will store it securely in the cargo area of the plane, so it cannot be accessed during the flight.

Learn more about traveling safely and legally with a firearm or ammunition here.