PHILADELPHIA — The Transportation Security Administration said Tuesday it stopped a Columbia County man from boarding a plane in Philadelphia because he tried to smuggle in methamphetamine packed in a shotgun shell and hidden in his groin.
The catch happened Monday at Philadelphia International Airport, the TSA announced. In a statement, the TSA did not identify the man, other than that he is a resident of Orangeville. His name could not be immediately confirmed.
The Philadelphia police arrested him on a state charge, the TSA said.
A checkpoint scanner's alarm sounded when the man tried to pass through. Concealed by his groin, they found a shotgun shell packed with a white powder that turned out to be methamphetamine.
"In this instance, our explosives experts conducted a test to determine what the mysterious white powdered substance was and fortunately it was determined not to be an explosive," said Gerardo Spero, TSA's Federal Security Director for the airport.
"Our focus is in ensuring that nobody attempts to bring explosives onto a flight," Spero continued. "We use technology and the skills of our officers and explosives experts to help ensure that explosives do not get past our checkpoints."
