Top 10 Weirdest Things Travelers Tried to Smuggle Through Airport Security

The Transportation Service Administration (TSA) has had a checkered history, to say the least. What is even more questionable are some of the finds posted to the agency’s ever entertaining Instagram account.

Here are some of our faves:

Eels. Live ones.

© INSTAGRAM/TSA

1. Bag of eels. A passenger passing through Miami’s international airport in 2012 tried to transport 163 tropical fish and 22 invertebrates to Maracaibo in Venezuela. The passenger surrendered the items to the US Fish and Wildlife service.  

#TSAGoodCatch — #TBT – This #Batarang was discovered in a carry-on bag at the #SanAntonio International Airport in December of 2011.

A photo posted by TSA (@tsa) on Feb 19, 2015 at 3:01pm PST

2. The Batarang! Yes, folks, apparently the TSA stopped Batman in San Antonio in 2011… he must’ve taken a wrong turn trying to get back to Gotham.

#TSACatch #TBT — This inert 60mm mortar round was discovered in the checked bag of passenger at #ElPaso (ELP) back in March of 2012.

A photo posted by TSA (@tsa) on Dec 4, 2014 at 11:48am PST

3. Mortar round…  so many unanswered questions here.

#TSAGoodCatch — This cell phone stun gun was discovered in a carry-on bag at the #Baltimore / #Washington (#BWI) International Thurgood Marshall Airport.

A photo posted by TSA (@tsa) on Jan 28, 2015 at 4:13pm PST

4. Cellphone stun. Red flags all around, since, you know, no one has used a pink Nokia since 2004.

#TSACatch — This keychain was discovered last week at the #Chicago — #Midway (#MDW) International Airport and is actually a punching weapon that is prohibited from being brought on a plane in your carry-on baggage.

A photo posted by TSA (@tsa) on Dec 16, 2014 at 2:58pm PST

5. Bull dog keychain.  According to the TSA’s description it’s a “punching device.” This looks less like something used to fight off a mugger, and more like something Christian Gray might use in Fifty Shades.

#TSAcatch A taser disguised as a tube of lipstick was discovered in a traveler’s carry-on baggage at the #StLouis International Airport. #TSA #STL See more prohibited items at Blog.tsa.gov

A photo posted by TSA (@tsa) on Nov 20, 2013 at 5:39pm PST

6. Lipstick Taser. Cue like a hundred Bond villain jokes.

#TSACatch #TBT In May of 2012, a disassembled gun and ammunition were discovered in three stuffed animals at the #Providence TF Green Airport (#PVD). The frame of a.40 caliber firearm was in one animal; a magazine loaded with two.40 caliber rounds and firing pin was inside another; and the slide was inside a third animal. The necessary components to assemble a fully functional loaded firearm were concealed in the three toys. This is just another example of why our officers take a closer look at everything that comes through the checkpoint.

A photo posted by TSA (@tsa) on Oct 30, 2014 at 2:57pm PDT

7. Stuffed animals filled with guns. Mickey apparently saw Blow and listened to Gangster’s Paradise on repeat. Seriously, who in their right mind thought they could get a gun through airport security by hiding it in a stuffed animal? That’s like the worst stereotype from a bad drug smuggling movie from the 90’s. 

And speaking of drug smuggling…

Because no one has ever tried to smuggle pot in a fake food can before.

© INSTAGRAM/tsa

8. In a valiant effort some brilliant scholars thought it would be a great idea to try to smuggle pot in a tomato soup can. Perhaps they overlooked that smuggling narcotics is actually one of the reasons the TSA exists. A for effort guys… okay, more like C-. 

We're not sure if this is an authentic medieval key-chain?

© INSTAGRAM/tsa

9. This is what the TSA really means when they tell you you can’t take mace on the plane. 

A new Hallmark promotion?

© INSTAGRAM/tsa

10. This last one is a doozy…or should I say Scooby Doozy?  Someone hid a knife in a Scooby Doo birthday card. Looks like Little Jimmy got just what he wanted! 

For more, check out their Instagram account.  Oh, and the Administration puts out a "Best Of" list every year — check out their blog!