What Is a TSA Auction? Confiscated Items Put Up for Sale

Every day, travelers pass through airport security checkpoints, sometimes forgetting or unknowingly carrying prohibited items in their luggage.

What happens to the confiscated belongings? Rather than being discarded, many of them are resold to the public through government auctions, giving bargain hunters an opportunity to purchase lost or surrendered goods at discounted prices.

What Is A TSA Auction?

Travelers who forget or attempt to bring prohibited items through airport security may not realize that their belongings could eventually be sold to the highest bidder. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) routinely confiscates a variety of objects from passengers, from pocketknives to high-end electronics. The items do not simply disappear—they often end up in TSA auctions, where they are sold online through platforms such as GovDeals.

GovDeals, a government surplus and auction website, lists confiscated and forfeited items for sale to the public. These auctions serve as a way for government agencies to recoup some of the costs associated with handling and storing abandoned property. Although TSA itself does not directly sell confiscated items, it turns them over to state surplus agencies, which then auction them to the public.

What Confiscated Items Are For Sale?

A wide range of items appears on TSA auction sites, many of which have been surrendered by passengers at security checkpoints. Some of the most commonly available goods include:

• Knives and Multi-Tools: These are among the most frequently confiscated items, as TSA prohibits them in carry-on luggage.
• Firearms and Replica Weapons: In some cases, surrendered firearms, ammunition, or even replica guns end up in auctions after being turned over to law enforcement.
• Apple AirPods and Other Electronics: Wireless earbuds, laptops and tablets are frequently left behind at security checkpoints and later sold through auctions.
• Jewelry and Watches: Confiscated or abandoned valuables like rings, bracelets and luxury watches occasionally appear in TSA auction listings.
• Self-Defense Items: Pepper spray, brass knuckles and stun guns, all banned from carry-on luggage, are often included in surplus sales.

These auctions allow buyers to acquire items at significantly reduced prices, sometimes in bulk. For instance, a listing on GovDeals featured multiple sets of Apple AirPods bundled together, while another included a large assortment of knives and multi-tools.