Grenade-shaped Marijuana Grinder creates chaos at Bellingham Airport

Posted by Sagar Satapathy on April 14, 2016.

A chaotic scene occurred at Bellingham International Airport in Washington, when security officers spotted a grenade in a man's luggage while passing through screening equipment at about 8.30 am local time on Saturday.

Transportation Security Administration personnel at the airport identified the man who owned the luggage, who said all that was inside were clothes. Yet, the officers searched the luggage to find a camouflage object that looked like a grenade, said airport spokeswoman Lorie Danker.

The Bellingham Police Department’s Bomb Squad was called to investigate further on the suspected object. However, the bomb squad confirmed that grenade-shaped object was a device used to break up marijuana.

Following the standard procedure, the screening and boarding areas were evacuated by the airport security personnel for few hours and around four departing flights were delayed.

However, the owner of the luggage was released and allowed to board his flight, though it was unclear whether the person faced any charges or not.

In such situations, the security officers can't just rely on a passenger's claim about what an object they possess, Danker said. TSA personnel aren't typically on the lookout for illegal items like drugs or paraphernalia, but rather objects that pose a threat to travelers, she added.

Medical marijuana, which is legalized in more than twenty states in the US, is still illegal at the federal level.

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