A TV crew of at least seven people have been arrested after they tried to go through security with a fake bomb at Newark Liberty International Airport, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
TSA officers said they detected a suspicious item in one of their carry-on bags Thursday, KTLA sister station WPIX reported.
The crew was in collaboration and claimed to be working for a television network. Some members of the group attempted to intentionally carry through the security checkpoint an item in a carry-on bag that had all of the makings of an improvised explosive device, officials said.
At the same time, others in the group covertly filmed the encounter, officials said.
The group did not make it past the checkpoint because TSA officers said they detected the item, which was concealed in a roller bag.
Officials believe the group wanted to see if they could get through the security checkpoint while filming themselves doing so.
The crew was immediately taken into custody and later charged with false public alarm, conspiracy and interfering with transportation, according to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.