Table 3-2 Prohibited Items Intercepted at U.S. Airport Screening Checkpoints: 2003-2005
Table 3-2 Prohibited Items Intercepted at U.S. Airport Screening Checkpoints: 2003-2005
| Items | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other cutting instruments | 2,973,413 | 3,567,731 | 3,276,941 |
| Knives | 1,961,849 | 2,058,652 | 1,822,888 |
| Incendiaries and explosive/ flammable materials | 494,123 | 693,649 | 407,086 |
| Clubs | 25,139 | 28,813 | 20,531 |
| Box cutters | 20,991 | 22,350 | 21,319 |
| Firearms | 683 | 650 | 2,217 |
| Other | 638,414 | 717,754 | 10,358,159 |
| Total prohibited items | 6,114,612 | 7,089,599 | 15,909,141 |
Notes: Other cutting instruments includes scissors, hatchets, swords, sabers, meat cleavers, ice axes, and picks.
Knives includes any length and type except round-bladed, butter, and plastic cutlery.
Clubs includes martial arts items, baseball bats, night sticks, hammers, pool cues, and billy clubs.
Firearms includes any weapon (including a starter gun) that is designed to or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive, as well as spear guns, BB guns, flare pistols, compressed air guns, and stunning devices.
Other refers to tools, self-defense items, compressed gas cylinders, bleach, and certain sporting goods. The jump in number of other prohibited items in 2005 is a result of the inclusion of lighters as prohibited items as of April 14, 2005.
Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration, personal communication, November 2006.