Security officers confiscated a record number - 2,212 to be exact- of firearms from travelers' carry-on bags at U.S. airports last year, including a hand grenade, an avalanche control charge and fireworks, according to 2014 statistics released by the Department of Homeland Security on Friday.
An average of six firearms per day was discovered at checkpoints by Transportation Security Administration agents in passengers' carry-on bags or on their bodies, with more than 80 percent of the guns being loaded, CBS News reported. An additional 1,400 firearm components, replicas, stun guns, knives, razors and other dangerous objects were also found.
"Unfortunately these sorts of occurrences are all too frequent which is why we talk about these finds," the TSA, who tallies the number of confiscated firearms each week, wrote on its official blog.
After weapons are found, TSA officers hand over the concerned passengers to police officers, who then interview the suspects to figure out whether their guns are licensed and determine whether or not they should be arrested.
When caught, the top reason cited by most gun-toting passengers, who face thousands of dollars in federal fines, at airport checkpoints is having simply forgotten that they had firearms in their luggage, according to the TSA news release.
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport had 120 firearms discovered, the highest number, followed by Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International which had 109. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Denver International Airport also had high numbers, according to the Virginian-Pilot.
Other concealed items discovered last year included a razorblade in a cell phone, a saw blade in a bible, a cell phone knife case, a lipstick stun gun, a pocket knife in a potato chip bag, two rounds of .22 caliber ammo sewn into a shirt cuff and a machete concealed under the lining of bag.
Compared to last year's annual report of 1,813, the total number of firearms discovered at airport security checkpoints increased by 22 percent.
On June 4, TSA agents seized 18 firearms from carry-on bags across the nation, breaking the previous record of 13 set in 2013, USA Today reported.
Meanwhile, passengers are urged to be aware of prohibited items and avoid keeping them in their carry-ons, which would eventually either cause delays or lead to an arrest.
"Just because we find a prohibited item on an individual does not mean they had bad intentions, that's for the law enforcement officer to decide," the government agency added. "In many cases, people simply forgot they had these items."
