Officers also found magazines and ammunition.
A New Jersey woman was arrested after officials found an assault rifle that the Transportation Security Administration described as “cleverly hidden” inside her suitcase at Newark Liberty International Airport on Monday.
TSA officers found the weapon hidden “behind the lining of a suitcase” during checked baggage inspection operations at the airport.
The assault rifle was found with a high-capacity magazine and four boxes of hollow point bullets, the TSA said. Officers also found three magazines, one of which was fully loaded, and two additional boxes of ammunition.
“Our TSA officers are very skilled at detecting firearms and other prohibited items,” said Tom Carter, TSA’s Director of Federal Security for New Jersey, in a press release. “This was an incredibly good catch by our officers because the traveler attempted to evade detection by hiding the items under the lining of his suitcase.”
TSA said Port Authority police were notified of the weapon and later located the woman, who was arrested along with her traveling companion.
Editor’s Note: This story has been corrected to reflect that a woman was arrested.
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