A routine baggage check at Palm Springs International Airport turned into a desert bomb scare yesterday when Transportation Security Administration screeners discovered a live 25‑millimeter explosive round tucked into a U.S. Marine’s checked luggage.
Riverside County sheriff's explosive ordnance disposal personnel were called in, removed the munition from the airport, and destroyed it in a controlled detonation in the nearby desert. No one was injured, and the Marine was handed over to military officials while the incident is reviewed, according to authorities.
The round surfaced during standard screening of checked bags. The service member told investigators he had found the munition "in the field" about a year ago and believed it was inert, NBC 7 San Diego reported. Police said the shell was so heavily rusted and corroded that its identifying paint was gone, making it tough to tell at a glance whether it was a harmless training round or the real thing.
The Riverside County Sheriff's Department Explosive Ordnance Disposal team used X‑ray equipment to settle the question and confirmed the round was live. Technicians then hauled it to a remote desert area near Interstate 10 and destroyed it in a controlled blast. Officials described the severe corrosion and the difficulty identifying the round in a news release cited by The Associated Press.
Potential Penalties and Official Review
Palm Springs police said they have forwarded the case to the Riverside County district attorney's office for review and released the Marine to military authorities, according to NBC 7 San Diego. Any next steps on the civilian side will come from prosecutors.
In addition to possible criminal review, federal rules give TSA the power to issue notices of violation and pursue civil penalties when someone sends weapons or explosives into the screening system. Those procedures are detailed in regulations published by Cornell Law School.
Why This Matters
TSA officers are no strangers to finding dangerous items. In 2024, the agency reported intercepting 6,678 firearms at airport security checkpoints nationwide, a reminder of how often prohibited weapons are headed for the cabin, according to TSA.
Explosive ordnance in checked luggage is less commonly reported, but the stakes are higher. A live round traveling unseen in the belly of a passenger jet is exactly the kind of scenario security protocols are designed to catch before it becomes a headline for all the wrong reasons.
What Officials Say Now
Authorities stressed that the situation ended as safely as anyone could hope: the device was removed, destroyed, and no injuries were reported. The Riverside County Sheriff's Department and Palm Springs police handled the response together, according to a news release referenced by The Associated Press.
Officials said inquiries have been sent to the Riverside County district attorney, the Marine Corps and TSA for further comment, so the paper trail on this explosive find is likely to keep moving long after the munition itself was blown to bits.
