A traveler's attempt to bypass airport security by hiding a live smoke grenade inside a jar of peanut butter was thwarted last month at the Indianapolis International Airport, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced.
The incident occurred when TSA agents flagged a piece of checked luggage for additional screening. Upon inspection, two live smoke grenades were discovered. One grenade was found hidden within a full jar of peanut butter, according to TSA specialist Michael Dunphy.
"After all contents were removed from the bag, I thought, ‘Weren’t there two grenades in this bag?,’" Dunphy said in a press release. "After additional inspection of all the contents in the bag, it became obvious the second grenade was in the peanut butter jar, so I was surprised."
The unidentified passenger later informed airline staff that a friend had advised him that grenades could be smuggled through security if concealed in a peanut butter jar. Airport police and an airline station manager were called to the scene, though it was not immediately clear if the man faced arrest or other consequences.
The TSA noted that attempting to hide prohibited items can lead to more severe consequences. This incident follows a recent trend of unusual items being discovered in food containers at airports, including full bottles of salad dressing, prompting TSA warnings for travelers to pack such items in checked luggage.