Busy times for airport confiscation shops

ATLANTA, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- The holiday weekend will mean big deals at airport contraband resale shops across the country, including a surplus warehouse in Atlanta.

Steve Ekin runs the state surplus warehouse, where he sells off everything left behind at Georgia airports, CBS’s “The Early Show” reported Monday.

His merchandise, which is classified as “voluntarily abandoned to the (Transportation Security Administration),” comes in by the truckload.

“We're getting about 200, 250 pounds every two weeks of just abandoned property,” said Ekin.

“We've seen somebody try to bring a kitchen sink through. We've seen people in hurricane situations try to bring through a fully gassed chainsaw,” said Ellen Howe, a TSA assistant administrator.