This really concerns me-man arrested for transporting ammunition but only primers.

[hill billy]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/12/28/police-miami-airport-explodes-bag/?intcmp=prn_baynote-js_Man_Arrested_at_Miami_Airport_After_Bullet_Parts_Found_in_Bag

Man has a few hundred live primers in his bag and is arrested for transporting ammunition. This sets a poor precedent. I understand they needed to find something to charge him with but that was a real stretch.

[Ron-Solo]

Primers are subject to hazardous materials shipping regulations. This individual obviously wasn't following the rules and placed everyone in the aircraft in jeopardy. Primers are considered ammunition components, which is why he was charged as such.

You are required to declare firearms, ammunition, and other hazardous materials when flying. You can't even take filled scuba tanks, and they are only filled with compressed air, not oxygen.

There are specific packaging requirements for ammo on aircraft, and in my opinion, primers that are not packaged properly pose more of a risk than ammunition.

Since some of the primers discharged, my bet is that they weren't packaged correctly.

Plus, his final destination was another country that is not firearms friendly.

Not much of a stretch when you look at it.

[ale014]

Yes, seems like he was suppose to ship it GROUND back home. Not sure about not having a license though. Always thought you can buy ammo from another state and bring it back, just drive it home. Not sure about this particular situation with not having a commerce license. But i really don't know, so some more info would be greatly appreciated.

[Horace Hogsnort]

"What concerns me more is why the baggage handlers are so rough with luggage as to ignite the primers inside. This needs to be looked at."

There's probably some diligent agency of the federal government looking into this as we speak!!

[Knauga]

The man was being held on a charge of traveling in interstate commerce without a license to carry ammunition.

Does somebody NEED a license to travel with ammunition? Unless he told the investigators that he was traveling with them in order to sell them, I would think the ONLY thing he could/should be charged with is failing to declare the ammunition in his bag. Is that even required? You are certainly allowed to check ammunition in your checked baggage when you travel as long as it is in the factory case.

This is pretty disturbing to me.

[Ron-Solo]

The disturbing part is this guy didn't package them so they wouldn't detonate in the baggage compartment of a passenger plane.

And don't forget, his final destination was Jamaica. You do need special permits to export some things.

[Stonewalker]

Sorry man, only a dumbass doesn't research the relevant firearms laws of his destination AND doesn't package his caps properly. It doesn't take much to start a life-threatening fire inside a plane. What would have happened had he carried those on instead of checking them? What would have happened had the plane taken off and then the primers exploded?

This has nothing to do with 2A. This isn't even about 4A/TSA violations or anything. I think this man was just a fool

[Ron-Solo]

Well said, Stonewalker

[Knauga]

The disturbing part is this guy didn't package them so they wouldn't detonate in the baggage compartment of a passenger plane.

And don't forget, his final destination was Jamaica. You do need special permits to export some things.

But he is being charged with "traveling in interstate commerce without a license to carry ammunition". Since he and his baggage had not left the US, he has not committed a crime in taking them out of the country, attempt or conspiracy sure, but that isn't what he is charged with. There is no "permit" required to travel within the US with loaded ammunition

If they were packaged in their original container, that should be sufficient for safely traveling with them.

TSA
According to TSA, you need to know the laws relevant to the country you are traveling to, no US prohibition is listed for traveling out of the country with ammunition. According to TSA, there is no requirement to declare the ammunition, only firearms.

[Knauga]

Sorry man, only a dumbass doesn't research the relevant firearms laws of his destination AND doesn't package his caps properly. It doesn't take much to start a life-threatening fire inside a plane. What would have happened had he carried those on instead of checking them? What would have happened had the plane taken off and then the primers exploded?

This has nothing to do with 2A. This isn't even about 4A/TSA violations or anything. I think this man was just a fool

According to the TSA's requirements for traveling with ammunition and firearms, the man did nothing wrong in the US unless he negligently packaged the primers. Having the primers detonate is not on its face negligent as it could have been negligence on the part of the baggage handler that caused the primers to detonate.

The man MAY be a fool, those aren't facts in evidence as of yet, however, on the face of it he violated no TSA regulation.

I understand they needed to find something to charge him with

this attitude I find highly disturbing. *IF* he committed a crime, he should be charged, but the idea of finding something to charge somebody with JUST because something bad happened is a scary thought.

[Munk]

I feel that the charge is a stretch, but the guy is an idiot for transporting them in a way that would allow them to detonate. I also think he's looking for trouble if he is trying to get them to jamaica. (With crime levels still high in some parts, I image that ammunition is at a premium, thus making reloading components profitable).

this attitude I find highly disturbing. *IF* he committed a crime, he should be charged, but the idea of finding something to charge somebody with JUST because something bad happened is a scary thought.

I don't like the idea of "charging just because", but sometimes I've seen when they hold someone with a "placeholder" charge that is dropped while they "review the evidence" (read the frigging PC) to find the proper charge for what truly happened. Is there something appropriate? Maybe negligent transportation of a hazardous material? Dunno in this case.

I believe a competent lawyer who works quickly will have the guy out in no time for the bogus charge, and the cops inability to locate the proper PC in a timely manner would make his defense that much easier.

[scarville]

Looks like he was trying to smuggle them.

http://www.necn.com/12/29/10/Mass-man-arrested-after-bag-catches-fire/landing_newengland.html?blockID=381751&feedID=4206

Investigators say they found 700 bullet primers, the small circular part which ignites to fire a bullet, inside the lining of his checked luggage. Ammunition must be declared and carefully stored when transported in checked bags.

Investigator: "There were several hundred of them packed together, and when they are together and one ignites and you put it on the ground, and one ignites and there is going to be sympathetic ignition of them."

[SKSer]

thats BS

[Fjold]

The news story is BS because they keep referring to the primers as ammunition. Ammunition is allowed in checked baggage but primers alone are not. They are classed as flammable solids and are not allowed to travel by air.

[B Strong]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/12/28...s_Found_in_Bag

Man has a few hundred live primers in his bag and is arrested for transporting ammunition. This sets a poor precedent. I understand they needed to find something to charge him with but that was a real stretch.

This fella messed up on so many levels it isn't funny.

This isn't a case of some guy with an inheirited smoothbore wheel gun that some cop decides is an SBS, or a widow with a newly found unregistered MG, this guy took it upon himself to bring what can only be termed "munitions" onto a commercial airliner without first checking to see what he should do and how he should do it.

Ignorance in this case is going to be expensive, as it often can be.

It has nothing to do with the feds or TSA overstepping, it's about a fool getting caught.