An unnamed resident of St. Augustine, Florida, eventually made it back home from Lehigh Valley International Airport on Monday after first being stopped by TSA officers who received an alert about his checked bag.
According to the March 4 local press release, agents found the barrel, trigger, sights and even a grenade upon opening the bag.
Police are said to have then detained the then-suspect, who was waiting to board his flight at the departure gate, while other security officials began assembling the pieces obtained from his checked bag.
His detention and questioning, however, did not last long, as the weapon's assembly left a lot to be desired.
"Upon closer inspection, it was determined that the various components of the device could be assembled, but fortunately the device was not a functioning launcher, and the grenade itself was a realistic replica," the TSA release reads.
According to the traveler, who was still able to catch his Orlando-bound flight home, he believed replicas and other faux firearms were allowed, as long as they were stowed away in a checked bag.
"Don't bring military or replica weapons," TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein clarified following the incident. "Ship them."
It's unclear if the man's confiscated RPG ever made it back to him in Florida, but TSA highlights those who choose do something similar could be subject to potential civil penalties ranging up to $13,000.
