Drug Charges and Airport Arrest: Everything You Should Know (2024)

FAQs

What happens to drugs seized at airports? ›

Where Do Confiscated Drugs Go? When drugs are confiscated in airports, TSA officers usually refer to law enforcement to secure the confiscated substances and store them in a warehouse known as a crime laboratory. Here, the drugs will be tested, organized, and shelved for trials.

Individuals who commit certain violations of Federal security-related regulations, such as interference with security operations, assault, threat, intimidation, or interference with flight crew, physical or sexual assault or threat of physical or sexual assault of any individual on an aircraft, access control ...

Accordingly, TSA security officers do not search for marijuana or other illegal drugs, but if any illegal substance is discovered during security screening, TSA will refer the matter to a law enforcement officer. For more prohibited items, please go to the 'What Can I Bring?'

Technically, airport security scanners do not detect drugs but they can provide visual clues of drugs hidden under the clothes and in baggage. Even if the scanners cannot determine the exact composition, they can tell if an object is organic or metallic or how low or high density an object have.

Any providers who prescribe or dispense controlled substances may be investigated by the DEA, including in cases where they are suspected of writing or filling prescriptions illegally or where they may have participated in a conspiracy to distribute, dispense, or possess a controlled substance.

You should not attempt to travel with illegal drugs or drug paraphernalia of any kind to avoid airport arrest. If illegal drugs are discovered on your person, in your carry-on luggage, or concealed in your checked baggage, you will immediately be arrested.

TSA officers have the discretion to prohibit any item through the screening checkpoint if they believe it poses a security threat. Any sharp objects in checked bags should be sheathed or securely wrapped to prevent injury to baggage handlers and inspectors.

Yes it is customary at every airport for TSA to scan your identification before you board the plane. Your ID has information that identifies you, such as your name, date of birth, and other identifiers.

If you have an outstanding bench warrant, or an arrest warrant issued by a court, you may be detained or arrested at the airport. It is more common for your name to be checked against various databases when you are traveling internationally.

Orange: Indicates organic substances. Items like food, paper, or explosives typically appear in this color.

What can TSA body scanners see? ›

Whole Body Imaging scanners produce a three- dimensional image of the passenger's nude body, including breasts, genitals, buttocks, prosthetics, binding materials, and any objects on the person's body, in an attempt to identify contraband.

Medications in pill or other solid forms must undergo security screening. You can facilitate this screening by clearly labeling medication. Medication can undergo a visual or X-ray screening and may be tested for traces of explosives.

These tests are also done by Airport Security. Here too, anyone testing positive will have their Airport ID Card revoked and be removed from the movement areas. This also applies to anyone refusing to take a test. An employee testing positive can ask for the test to be re-run.

The occurrence of an illegal tissue residue will be regarded as prima facie evidence of improper drug use, and may be an appropriate subject for enforcement action.

TSA makes every effort to reunite passengers with items left behind at the airport checkpoint. Lost and found items retained by TSA for a minimum of thirty (30) days, and if not claimed, are either destroyed, turned over to a state agency for surplus property, or sold by TSA as excess property.

Contractors destroy illegal drugs seized by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, or turn them over to other agencies, such as the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which destroys marijuana at incinerators approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The DEA burns other illegal drugs at its labs.

So any items taken by the TSA become government property. The TSA makes no profit off of items that travelers surrender at checkpoints. Each state sells the TSA confiscated items at auction. The state decides which auction service to use and the state keeps the profit.

If they choose to surrender it, it goes to the state for disposal. TSA says, “Most states sell the items at a surplus shop and they keep the profit. TSA makes no profit.” TSA also tells Emily the penalty for trying to carry a firearm through a check-point can be up to $15,000.