A routine security screening at upstate New York's Watertown International Airport (ART) took a startling turn when TSA officers discovered a spent smoke grenade hidden inside an aerosol container in a passenger's carry-on bag.

The discovery was made by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers recently, according to a Sept. 24 release from the agency.

During inspection, officers found the spent M18 smoke grenade.

In a statement, TSA Officer Yessenia Alvarez, who was operating the X-ray machine at the time, said she  didn't like how the item appeared,  referring to the unusual-looking aerosol container.

 I called over Lead TSA Officer Melissa Graffam and told her I did not have a good feeling about it,  said Alvarez.

 I was very stunned when I saw the item on the screen. 

The officer added that she had  seen these types of items in training scenarios. 

Graffam said the item  looked funny  when she saw it on the X-ray screen.

5 TSA officers at Watertown International Airport found a spent smoke grenade disguised as an aerosol can in a passenger's carry-on bag. TSA ART

 I saw from the image that the top of the can didn't look right but appeared to be empty,  she said.

 It was located in the side pocket of the bag, so I opened it and saw it was an M18 smoke grenade. 

Graffam said the discovery was particularly unusual for the small airport, where officers typically encounter prohibited items such as knives and oversized liquids.

5 The passenger claimed he had forgotten the grenade was in his bag. TSA ART

When she asked the passenger why the smoke grenade was in his bag, he told her he had forgotten it was there, according to the TSA.

 I found [that] strange because his bag only had a few items in it,  Graffam said.

Lead TSA Officer Debra Alcock, who was serving as acting supervisor, then notified the Syracuse TSA Coordination Center and a TSA explosives expert - who confirmed the grenade was not live.

5 Officials confirmed the grenade was not live. TSA ART

The smoke grenade ranked among the most memorable finds Alcock has seen during her time with the agency, the

#nypost   #crimewatchnewyork