Six security lines were closed at a New Jersey airport for hours Tuesday when a man attempted to take a fake bomb through a checkpoint.
According to NBC News, the unidentified traveler was heading through security at Newark Liberty International Airport Tuesday morning when Transportation Security Administration officers found what looked like a bomb in his bag on the X-ray machine.
It was later discovered that the man was transporting a dummy bomb to a security training event in Florida, but he failed to ask authorities, the airport or his airline about how to properly travel with such a device.
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“The item was built to look exactly like an explosive device,” TSA’s New Jersey federal security director Tom Carter told NBC News. “The terror threat is real, and we do not take chances when it comes to protecting the lives of travelers.”
TSA agents didn’t know the bomb was fake until later, which caused officers to call the Essex County Bomb Squad to the scene. Authorities confirmed the device was a realistic replica.
While it remained unclear if the man would be charged for the improper transportation of the fake bomb, the TSA has issued fines in the past of up to $13,000 for passengers caught with weapons at airports.
“The individual who brought this device to the checkpoint knew he had a replica bomb with him, and as such, he should have known better than to bring it to an active checkpoint,” Carter continued. “His foolish actions inconvenienced hundreds of passengers today.”