# A gun smuggling ring brought 153 weapons onto 17 separate flights from Atlanta to New York
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-gun-smuggling-ring-brought-153-weapons-onto-17-separate-flights-from-atlanta-to-new-york/708534
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [December 30, 2014, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-gun-smuggling-ring-brought-153-weapons-onto-17-separate-flights-from-atlanta-to-new-york/708534 "2014-12-30T14:43:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)
#### Post date: [December 30, 2014, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-gun-smuggling-ring-brought-153-weapons-onto-17-separate-flights-from-atlanta-to-new-york/708534/1 "2014-12-30T14:43:07Z")
As if we needed any more proof that the TSA is a joke, [The New York Times reports on a recently uncovered gun smuggling ring](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/30/business/gun-smuggling-on-plane-reveals-security-oversight.html) which used a baggage handler to bring guns into Atlanta airport which were then handed off to a courier to take on the plane to New York. Over seven months, the ring smuggled 153 weapons over 17 separate flights, including AK-47s.
Critics of the TSA have been harping, ever since the beginning of the numerous gaping holes in TSA security, the lack of screening of airport support staff being one of them. The TSA has always replied back that they practice defense in depth and that they have a bunch of sooper sekret measures to keep airports secure.
I can’t think of a more embarrassing way to demonstrate what an expensive boondoggle the TSA has become and how it’s failed at it’s most basic core mission.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [December 30, 2014, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-gun-smuggling-ring-brought-153-weapons-onto-17-separate-flights-from-atlanta-to-new-york/708534/2 "2014-12-30T15:02:05Z")
And then depression set in. . .
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [December 30, 2014, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-gun-smuggling-ring-brought-153-weapons-onto-17-separate-flights-from-atlanta-to-new-york/708534/3 "2014-12-30T15:08:32Z")
And yet this incident won’t make any difference.
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [December 30, 2014, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-gun-smuggling-ring-brought-153-weapons-onto-17-separate-flights-from-atlanta-to-new-york/708534/4 "2014-12-30T15:10:41Z")
From the article.
> [@](#):
>
> A spokesman for the T.S.A., David Castelveter, confirmed that the agency “has been part of the investigation,” but declined to elaborate.
Probably pick up dry-cleaning, get coffee, things like that.
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [December 30, 2014, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-gun-smuggling-ring-brought-153-weapons-onto-17-separate-flights-from-atlanta-to-new-york/708534/5 "2014-12-30T15:13:55Z")
> [@running\_coach](#):
>
> From the article.
>
> Probably pick up dry-cleaning, get coffee, things like that.
A little too high level, they probably helped by doing nothing.
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### Author:  [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)
#### Post date: [December 30, 2014, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-gun-smuggling-ring-brought-153-weapons-onto-17-separate-flights-from-atlanta-to-new-york/708534/6 "2014-12-30T15:19:43Z")
I see nothing!
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [December 30, 2014, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-gun-smuggling-ring-brought-153-weapons-onto-17-separate-flights-from-atlanta-to-new-york/708534/7 "2014-12-30T15:22:20Z")
> [@](#):
>
> A spokesman for the T.S.A., David Castelveter, confirmed that the agency “has been part of the investigation,” but declined to elaborate.
Can’t have an investigation without a suspect.
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### Author:  [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)
#### Post date: [December 30, 2014, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-gun-smuggling-ring-brought-153-weapons-onto-17-separate-flights-from-atlanta-to-new-york/708534/8 "2014-12-30T15:29:49Z")
I’m just boggled by the idea that the guys risked federal prosecution to smuggle guns from Atlanta to New York under circumstances where people are actively searching for guns. They couldn’t just take a few days off and DRIVE THERE?
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### Author:  [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)
#### Post date: [December 30, 2014, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-gun-smuggling-ring-brought-153-weapons-onto-17-separate-flights-from-atlanta-to-new-york/708534/9 "2014-12-30T15:35:29Z")
Seems overly elaborate for the amount of possible profit involved.
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [December 30, 2014, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-gun-smuggling-ring-brought-153-weapons-onto-17-separate-flights-from-atlanta-to-new-york/708534/10 "2014-12-30T15:40:44Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#):
>
> Can’t have an investigation without a suspect.
If the T.S.A was involved, the guns would have never reached their destination.
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [December 30, 2014, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-gun-smuggling-ring-brought-153-weapons-onto-17-separate-flights-from-atlanta-to-new-york/708534/11 "2014-12-30T15:56:05Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#):
>
> I’m just boggled by the idea that the guys risked federal prosecution to smuggle guns from Atlanta to New York under circumstances where people are actively searching for guns. They couldn’t just take a few days off and DRIVE THERE?
We want the criminals to be dumbasses. At this point we expect the TSA to be dumbasses also. Get Smart was visionary.
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [December 30, 2014, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-gun-smuggling-ring-brought-153-weapons-onto-17-separate-flights-from-atlanta-to-new-york/708534/12 "2014-12-30T16:00:23Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#):
>
> I’m just boggled by the idea that the guys risked federal prosecution to smuggle guns from Atlanta to New York under circumstances where \*\* people are actively searching for guns.\*\* They couldn’t just take a few days off and DRIVE THERE?
This is the T.S.A. you’re talking about.
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### Author:  [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)
#### Post date: [December 30, 2014, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-gun-smuggling-ring-brought-153-weapons-onto-17-separate-flights-from-atlanta-to-new-york/708534/13 "2014-12-30T16:13:14Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#):
>
> I’m just boggled by the idea that the guys risked federal prosecution to smuggle guns from Atlanta to New York under circumstances where people are actively searching for guns. They couldn’t just take a few days off and DRIVE THERE?
This was my first thought. It would take what, 10 hours, to make the drive and they could have hauled as many guns as they wanted? I’m guessing they would have to be so certain of not getting caught that the risk was worth the few hours saved. Doesn’t say much for the risk of capture created by the TSA.
I do have to point out though, they did catch the guys. The whole concept of airplane security is built on dividing the trustworthy people from the rest of us suspicious schlubs then never checking up on those that passed the test. Maybe this will help.
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### Author:  [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)
#### Post date: [December 30, 2014, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-gun-smuggling-ring-brought-153-weapons-onto-17-separate-flights-from-atlanta-to-new-york/708534/14 "2014-12-30T21:45:17Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#):
>
> I’m just boggled by the idea that the guys risked federal prosecution to smuggle guns from Atlanta to New York under circumstances where people are actively searching for guns. They couldn’t just take a few days off and DRIVE THERE?
This was my first thought as well. You could rent a van that could hold all 153 guns and then some, and drive it through the Holland Tunnel without anybody even looking at you funny.
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### Author:  [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2015, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-gun-smuggling-ring-brought-153-weapons-onto-17-separate-flights-from-atlanta-to-new-york/708534/15 "2015-01-01T04:09:12Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#):
>
> I’m just boggled by the idea that the guys risked federal prosecution to smuggle guns from Atlanta to New York under circumstances where people are actively searching for guns. They couldn’t just take a few days off and DRIVE THERE?
Yeah, I find that odd, too. Load up a nondescript minivan with guns, get a white driver who will obey the speed limit and it seems to me the odds of getting caught are virtually nil.
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### Author:  [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2015, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-gun-smuggling-ring-brought-153-weapons-onto-17-separate-flights-from-atlanta-to-new-york/708534/16 "2015-01-01T16:00:17Z")
What we do in airports is [Security Theater](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Security_theater), not actual security.
> [@](#):
>
> Security theater is the practice of investing in countermeasures intended to provide the feeling of improved security while doing little or nothing to actually achieve it.
Some experts state that the only actual effective security measures that we’ve added since 9/11 are more secure cockpit doors on aircraft and letting passengers know that they need to fight back in the face of terrorism.
If we want actual security, we’ll have to spend a LOT more money to get it, and it would become a LOT more inconvenient to travel by air. And I personally don’t think we are ready or willing to do that.
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### Author:  [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2015, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-gun-smuggling-ring-brought-153-weapons-onto-17-separate-flights-from-atlanta-to-new-york/708534/17 "2015-01-01T19:18:36Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#):
>
> What we do in airports is [Security Theater](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Security_theater), not actual security.
We’re not even doing Security Theatre, we’re doing Security Waiting for Godot!
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2015, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-gun-smuggling-ring-brought-153-weapons-onto-17-separate-flights-from-atlanta-to-new-york/708534/18 "2015-01-01T19:53:41Z")
> [@Shalmanese](#):
>
> We’re not even doing Security Theatre, we’re doing Security Waiting for Godot!
Or a first grade play.
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### Author:  [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2015, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-gun-smuggling-ring-brought-153-weapons-onto-17-separate-flights-from-atlanta-to-new-york/708534/19 "2015-01-01T21:18:49Z")
> [@shiftless](#):
>
> This was my first thought. It would take what, 10 hours, to make the drive and they could have hauled as many guns as they wanted? I’m guessing they would have to be so certain of not getting caught that the risk was worth the few hours saved. Doesn’t say much for the risk of capture created by the TSA.
>
> I do have to point out though, they did catch the guys. The whole concept of airplane security is built on dividing the trustworthy people from the rest of us suspicious schlubs then never checking up on those that passed the test. Maybe this will help.
Agreed. Im no fan of TSA goons either, but it wasn’t like 153 guns were smuggled through the security checkpoint in someones underwear. It was an inside job.
As for driving, actually, that is very high risk. The “white van” as someone suggested could break down or get into an accident or get a flat tire, or lose a light which can get you pulled over by a nosy cop, and with the distance involved even riskier.
If you have an insider that can get them safely via airplane from checkpoint A to checkpoint B, why not?
Personally, I wonder if via train wouldn’t be the better option.
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2015, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-gun-smuggling-ring-brought-153-weapons-onto-17-separate-flights-from-atlanta-to-new-york/708534/20 "2015-01-01T21:37:03Z")
> [@russian\_heel](#):
>
> Agreed. Im no fan of TSA goons either, but it wasn’t like 153 guns were smuggled through the security checkpoint in someones underwear. It was an inside job.
Anything coming into the luggage/cargo area should be subject to a security level at least equal (hopefully better) to what the passengers are subjected to.
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-gun-smuggling-ring-brought-153-weapons-onto-17-separate-flights-from-atlanta-to-new-york/708534.md?page=2)