Five stolen cannonballs dating back to the American Civil War era were found in a female passenger’s luggage at Gulf Shores International Airport in the US state of Alabama.
A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer spotted a suspicious item during an X-ray scan of the suitcase on July 18. A search of the luggage led to the discovery of five small cannonballs, after which the officer immediately informed a supervisor.
TSA officer Justin Dupre said he had previously seen inactive hand grenades and training ammunition, but this was the first time he had come across a case involving historical and stolen military items at an airport.
He said the recovered cannonballs were inactive and contained no explosive material. However, cannonballs are considered military ammunition and are not allowed to be carried on aircraft.
According to reports, police investigations found that the cannonballs had been stolen from Fort Morgan.
The. Officials confirmed that the cannonballs belonged to the American Civil War period.
Police said a young boy had taken the cannonballs from a storage area at Fort Morgan and placed them inside his grandmother’s bag.
The woman told police that she was unaware that the stolen cannonballs were inside her luggage.
