HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A loaded gun was found among the carry-on items of a Suffolk man at the Richmond International Airport (RIC) on Monday. On Monday, March 17, officers with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) discovered a 9mm handgun loaded with six bullets among the carry- on items the man was attempting to bring through security, according to a press release from the organization. While TSA does permit flying with firearms, they must be properly secured and stored. “Our officers continue to prevent individuals from carrying guns onto their flights,” said Robin “Chuck” Burke, TSA’s Federal Security Director for RIC, in the release. “All we ask is that individuals who want to travel with their gun do so properly. That means it needs to be unloaded and placed in a locked hard-sided case and then taken to the airline check-in counter to be transported in the belly of the aircraft so that nobody has access to it during the fight.” A 9mm handgun found in a Suffolk man's carry-on items at Richmond International Airport. (Photo: Transportation Security Administration) TSA officers notified local police of what they had found. Authorities came to the checkpoint, took the handgun and placed the man under arrest. 52-year-old man shot, killed in Richmond motel, woman charged with his murder According to the release, the TSA has the authority to issue a civil penalty of up to $15,000 to anyone who violates its firearms policy. Those enrolled in TSA PreCheck can also lose those privileges for such violations. Police determine any criminal penalties. For a complete list of TSA civil penalties, click here. To learn more about what you are allowed to bring on a plane -- including how to legally fly with a firearm -- click here. ...read more read less