Man is Forced to Leave Belongings Behind With TSA, Other Passengers Watch in Tears

There are things you absolutely can’t take with you on flights in the United States, no ifs or buts. It’s what Ivelise Hernandez and her boyfriend Rico Bankston realized when they saw a man surrendering a questionable package.

But after he was forced to drop it in the trash, the curious couple went over and retrieved it. But what happened next made their hearts sink.

They Were Packed and Ready to Go

Ivelise Hernandez and Rico Bankston from Tampa, Florida, were at the Saint Petersburg-Clearwater Airport on their way to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was a seemingly calm day, until they saw a man being forced to toss a package away.

But she had no idea that this moment in time would make a huge impact in her life.

There Was Trouble Ahead of Them

Getting through airport security is always painful, but that day it was slower than usual. The line had stalled because of something a man was trying to carry through security. The traveler had tried taking a wrapped package through the metal detector and set off the alarms.

So, they pulled him aside to question him while Hernandez and Bankston strained to hear what was going on.

They Refused to Let Him Pass

The man was having issues with his carry-on bag. There was an item inside that was restricted and the security guards wouldn’t let him pass with it. Whatever it was, it seemed to be really important to him, as he pleaded with them to let him through. But why had he become so agitated?

Red Flags Had TSA Worried

After the events of September 11, passengers traveling in the United States have had to deal with a lot of strict guidelines, and what this man had in his carry-on bag had clearly raised a red flag. But was everyone at the airport in danger?