You can’t make this up: A TSA worker abuses his authority and scares the crap out of an innocent woman by planting phony contraband… as a joke. From the Philadelphia Inquirer:
After pulling her laptop out of her carry-on bag, sliding the items through the scanning machines, and walking through a detector, [Rebecca Solomon] went to collect her things.
A TSA worker was staring at her. He motioned her toward him.
Then he pulled a small, clear plastic bag from her carry-on – the sort of baggie that a pair of earrings might come in. Inside the bag was fine, white powder.
The innocent passenger understandably freaked out, realizing she had been framed. And when drugs are involved, it’s not just a missed flight that’s of concern. But wait:
Just kidding, he said. He waved the baggie. It was his.
Kidding? Kidding??? Unbelievable. Not only is this offensive, but so stupid. On what planet did this agent reside, that he thought this was even remotely okay? And what kind of power trip must he have been on, to do this in front of other passengers and fellow agents?
According to the Inquirer, the agent in question no longer works for TSA, but you have to wonder how someone with such miserable judgment was ever hired in the first place.
So, how would you have handled being framed by TSA?…
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January 22nd, 2010 at 7:40 am
First off, as a 6′ 4″ male, I don’t think I’d be the subject of such a “joke.” I don’t know if the TSA guy was abusively flirting or just being abusive, but the gender of the passenger had a lot to do with this happening.
Second, I would not have stepped just past the gate area without collecting the names and numbers of eyewitnesses. (Passengers.)
Third, I would have called a lawyer right then and there from the airport and inquired how to proceed. I’m no lawyer myself, but this sounds like a violation of law and civil rights. Criminal and civil suits.
January 22nd, 2010 at 8:04 am
I concur with VdP – and of course I would contact the fine folks at Upgrade:Travel Better!
mp/m
January 22nd, 2010 at 10:48 am
I’d get a lawyer immediately and try not to let it ruin my love of travel.
January 22nd, 2010 at 12:43 pm
If I were a real lawyer (and not just playing one on TV), I would use this little episode in any case I ever have involving the TSA. After all, if it happened once, how can a jury know it hasn’t happened again?
January 22nd, 2010 at 5:45 pm
How woulr I react?
Can you spell l a w s u i t ??
January 24th, 2010 at 1:19 pm
Yep, this is the reason no one has faith in the TSA.
Isolated incident yes, but absolutely the front line workers need more training.
January 25th, 2010 at 9:57 am
what a such inappropriate joke. i would have surely sue him and the airport straight away. someone could have even an heart attack, it not a kind of joke to make.
January 25th, 2010 at 12:06 pm
This actually happened to me about 10 years ago at Dulles. It was customs and agriculture that was doing the test though, of a drug sniffing beagle dog. On the free baggage carts at international arrivals, there was a news paper on the bottom of the cart. I thought nothing of it. Put my carry-on bag down and went to the carousel to get my checked bag. About five minutes later the beagle was at my cart, sitting on his hind quarters. That was the signal. boom, the customs agent picks up my carry on bag, picks up the newspaper and pulls out a small celephane sleeve with a bit of the Mary-Jane in there. I almost wet myself. It was all a test, “dogs need to work in a live environment, with smells, noise, cologne, etc.,” blah blah blah, I should have sent them my cleaning bill!
They didn’t manage to notice the Havana Cohibas in the carry-on though!
January 25th, 2010 at 6:05 pm
Does anyone know when this happened? I was at Newark on Saturday for a flight to China and there was a cocaine “bust” at screening, white powder in a little baggie. There were about 5 cops there, a couple of undercover guys but no passenger. It all looked kinda funny to us – seemed odd. — jcc
January 25th, 2010 at 8:20 pm
John, this particular even happened at Philadelphia Airport, not Newark. Maybe another “joke”…
January 28th, 2010 at 9:31 am
Definitely there would have been people asked for contact information as witnesses and a lawyer called on my part. As well of course as my immediately demanding to speak to a supervisor.
Don’t forget that everything that happens in TSA security areas is videotaped so your best witness to an event like that is the TSA’s own cameras – assuming the tape doesn’t mysteriously disappear.
February 10th, 2010 at 7:44 pm
is the passenger was ‘just kidding’ by saying something to that agent, she wouldve been cuffed, humiliated, and (if she was Muslim) treated like a terrorist no doubt and arrested on the spot.
Hello Johnny Cochran? I think we need to meet…..
February 10th, 2010 at 8:13 pm
Wow! I feel very strongly about this incident. I would definately pursue this matter. If the situation were reversed and I jokingly took out a fake baggie of white powder I’d be in handcuffs within seconds. How dare this agent abuse his power and pull such a joke on a passenger. I have a great sense of humor, but this is crossing the line. Our travel world is by no means stable as far as security and to publicly joke about something like this shows weakness to other passengers. This is not a laughing matter and I feel this man should be reprimanded to set an example that travelers are in safe hands of reliable workers.
November 18th, 2010 at 12:26 pm
[...] on a list. Or maybe you’ll get lucky and get the TSA agent in a “joking mood” who plants a white powder on you, pretends it’s drugs and threatens you with arrest. They’re a laugh a minute [...]
April 10th, 2011 at 7:47 am
[...] we get reports that TSA agents are having fun at the public’s expense. One agent was fired for planting a bag of white powder in passengers’ bags and telling them he found drugs. Others pulled down a woman’s blouse, exposing her breasts, [...]