Port Authority police recently arrested two people accused of possessing weapons while trying to board planes at Newark Liberty International Airport.

According to authorities, the first incident involved a man who allegedly attempted to get on a flight headed to Dallas, Texas.

A TSA officer allegedly spotted the firearm in the suspect’s carry-on bag as it passed along a conveyor belt. An X-ray tipped off the TSA officer to the weapon.

Not long after that, Port Authority police searched the suspect’s bag and allegedly discovered a .45-caliber handgun.

Police officers seized the handgun and arrested the suspect. The suspect, who is from West Allenhurst NJ, has been charged with illegal possession of a handgun.

The same week, there was another incident involving a handgun at Newark Liberty International Airport. A man who lives in Orange NJ was allegedly caught trying to enter the airport while carrying a .38-caliber handgun.

Port Authority police officers reportedly saw the weapon and placed the suspect under arrest.

If either of the suspects is convicted on the very serious weapons offenses, they would be subject to significant criminal penalties. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5(b), illegal possession of a handgun is a second degree felony. That means a conviction could result in a sentence of 5-10 years in NJ State Prison.

For further information about this case, check out the NJ.com article entitled “Man Caught Trying to Carry Gun into Newark Airport, Officials Say.”