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LaGuardia Airport Busts Multiple Fake IDs, Passenger Arrested before Boarding Flight

Published September 28, 2026 · 2 min read
NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 26: A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) worker screens luggage at LaGuardia Airport (LGA) on September 26, 2017 in New York City. Passengers traveling on Delta at Terminal C will now go through new automated security screening lanes that hat officials claim will improve security while reducing wait times by 30 percent. The new automated security lanes, which have recently launched at some terminals at neighboring John F. Kennedy Airport, feature four partitioned areas for passengers to load their belongings, as well as a second rotating belt for bins. These bins, which are 25 percent larger, are automatically sent back to the front of the line after each use, freeing up TSA officers to focus on the screening travelers. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
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The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently announced that security officers at LaGuardia Airport in New York discovered multiple forged identification documents in a passenger’s checked luggage. The Port Authority Police confirmed the fraudulent documents and arrested the passenger before boarding.

The incident began when an alarm was triggered during the screening of a checked bag. The TSA stated that the alarm was related to an Xbox gaming console inside the luggage. The TSA officer in charge of inspecting the screen, Ashley Leo, immediately sent the bag to the baggage handling area for further examination by supervisor Christopher Ramos.

During the search, Ramos found a plastic bag next to the Xbox containing several suspected forged identification documents. He noted that the birthdates and license categories on the IDs were different but all used the same person’s photo, raising suspicions.

Ramos promptly reported to TSA management and informed the LaGuardia TSA Coordination Center, Port Authority Police, and TSA inspectors. After initial investigations confirmed the documents were forged, the passenger was quickly located and arrested before boarding the scheduled flight.

Ramos emphasized that he followed security procedures and remained vigilant while inspecting the luggage. Upon detecting the suspected forged documents, he promptly reported to the relevant departments.

John Essig, the Federal Security Director at TSA LaGuardia Airport, commended Ramos for adhering to standard operating procedures and staying alert, preventing forged documents from entering the airport security control area. He highlighted that identifying forged identification documents is part of TSA’s multi-layered aviation security measures to verify individuals entering secure airport areas and ensure passenger safety.

Recently, other U.S. airports have also discovered concealed weapons during screenings. At Dallas Love Field Airport (DAL) in Texas, TSA personnel found a folding knife hidden in a toothpaste tube during routine carry-on luggage inspection. In addition, a 4-inch (approximately 10 cm) double-edged knife concealed in a baseball bat-shaped flashlight was discovered at Tampa International Airport (TPA) in Florida.

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