The TSA is Selling Your Confiscated Items Online for Profit

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Category: Homeland Security

Published on Friday, 06 May 2016 03:30

Is the TSA Confiscating Your Private Items Just to Generate Revenue?

Kristan T. Harris
American Intelligence Report
May 3, 2016

In 2011, I purchased bottled water at Mitchell International Airport and made the unwise decision of purchasing the thirst quencher prior to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint. While approaching the front of the line I was informed by a Milwaukee TSA agent that my bottle of water was prohibited and to please place it in the garbage. When inquiring why this may be, the agent made me aware that I may have explosives contained within my bottle of water and that I am to immediately throw it in the trash. I quickly complied and sarcastically responded, “might be explosives and you want it in the garbage next to you, gotcha.”

In the aftermath of 9/11, the government enacted strict security procedures and now prohibits many items on flights leaving American airports, under the guise of “safety”. So what happens to all the personal items collected or confiscated after airport security seizes them?

It turns out that “the TSA sends truckloads of prohibited and left-behind items to state-run agencies set up to sell surplus government equipment,” Wall Street Journal’s Scott McCartney reports.

You can now purchase confiscated items on a government run website GovDeals.com, as well as internet auction house giant, eBay.

The agency’s vault is full of confiscated dangerous loot, yet many of the items seem harmless, including Garmin GPS units, Magic: the Gathering card sets, souvenirs, tools, jewelry and top of the line sunglasses.

The focus seems to be on conditioning individuals to follow orders and give up items for revenue generating, rather than focusing on our actual safety.

When the focus should be on safety, the TSA has shown little or no real security benefit to the American people, other than peace of mind. Despite spending billions of taxpayer dollars on U.S. airport security, recent government surveys have shown that TSA screeners have failed to locate bombs on Federal agents 67 out of 70 times,L.A. Times published.
Should airlines be responsible for hiring their own private security forces since the government can not do an adequate job?  This would take the financial burden off of the American people and provide a security agency that can be held accountable.

In 2010, Ron Paul introduced (now dead) legislation (the American Traveler Dignity Act) to protect Americans from physical and emotional abuse by federal employees conducting screenings at the nation’s airports. The TSA has been drowned in controversy since its inception, post-9/11.

Kristan T. Harris writes for the American Intelligence Report, where this article first appeared. Used with permission. You can Follow her on Twitter @KristanTHarris or on Facebook @American Intelligence Report.