TSA Finds Live Smoke Grenade Jammed Inside a Jar of Peanut Butter at Indianapolis Airport
Smoke grenades and peanut butter make for a memorable sandwich — but apparently not a great hiding spot.
TSA officers at Indianapolis International Airport discovered two live smoke grenades in a passenger's checked bag on June 25, with one of them jammed directly into a full jar of peanut butter. The discovery, detailed in a TSA news release, has become one of the agency's more unusual finds in recent memory.
How It Was Found
The traveler's checked bag triggered an alarm during routine X-ray screening, prompting additional inspection. Supervisory TSA Officer Anthony Vela and 18-year TSA explosives specialist Michael Dunphy responded to examine the bag's contents.
Dunphy described the moment the second grenade turned up. "After all contents were removed from the bag, I thought, 'Weren't there two grenades in this bag?'" he said. "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!"
According to TSA, the passenger told officers that a friend had advised him he could get the smoke grenades through checked baggage screening by concealing them in the jar.
Why It Mattered
Dunphy, who spent more than two decades as a Navy explosive ordnance disposal technician before joining TSA, said the grenades were straightforward to identify once flagged — but stressed the danger of complacency. "It's not what you don't know that is going to hurt you; it's what you do know and take for granted that may harm you one day as we all get complacent with what is familiar," he said.
Indiana TSA Federal Security Director Aaron Batt said the unusual concealment method raised additional concerns about the passenger's intentions. "With the concealment method used, we had concern about the intentions and, as a result, quickly incorporated the airport police and airline station manager to ensure we approached the traveler in a cautious and safe manner," Batt said.
Indianapolis Airport Authority Police were called to assist once the grenades were confirmed live. The passenger was paged back to the airline ticket counter for questioning. TSA said airport operations were not disrupted by the incident.
What Happens Next
Smoke grenades are prohibited in both carry-on and checked luggage on commercial flights due to the risk of ignition during transport. TSA has not released the passenger's name or said whether criminal charges will be filed. Attempting to bring a prohibited item like a grenade through airport security can result in civil penalties of up to $17,000, in addition to potential criminal charges.
The incident adds to a growing list of unusual prohibited items TSA has intercepted in checked and carry-on bags this year, including replica explosive devices, a live turtle, and razor blades hidden in everyday objects.
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