As travellers head back to US airports, the Transport Security Administration (TSA) has its hands full once again. From obvious culprits that have found their way into carry-on luggage to the most unusual items hiding in check-in bags, these things have no place aboard a plane. Here's our ranking of the most surprising (and funny) items the TSA has confiscated so far this year.

An extraordinary trio of items discovered at Philadelphia International Airport in May, the defence spray, knife and stun gun definitely have no place in a carry-on bag. Who does this passenger think they need protection from?

An unsuspecting beauty item that turns into a deadly weapon in a single motion, this assassin-worthy hairbrush was discovered at Richmond International Airport in April. Purposefully modified or poorly designed? We can but only wonder...

If we're honest, a realistic replica of an explosive device is probably the worst thing you could pack in your bag. This so-called clock was discovered at O'Hare International Airport in March and is a perfect example of why items that could be mistaken for explosives or weapons should not be brought to an airport. Unexpected, but hardly surprising.

Talk about taking off with a bang! The passenger who packed these gold sparklers in their carry-on bag must've expected fireworks after they were discovered and promptly confiscated at LaGuardia Airport in March.

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Coming in at number seven only because we're almost impressed with the bravery (or foolishness) of someone trying to bring a bottle of diesel fuel supplement through airport security. Discovered at Washington Dulles International Airport in May, this diesel fuel product or, in fact, any other petrol product has to stay at home.

"Are you ready to get jiggy with this crazy find?" says TSA. Discovered at Burlington International Airport in February, this jigsaw box was simply left on the ground in the security lane after the passenger claimed it contained a wireless router. We can confirm, an electric jigsaw does not fit on the TSA list of permitted carry-on items.

Discovered during a routine X-ray screening at William P. Hobby Airport, this burrito left TSA officers saying: "You've guac to be kidding us?!" An average burrito on the outside, the filling wasn't extra carnitas but rather a bag of meth wrapped in black tape. And in queso you were wondering, no, it's most definitely not allowed aboard.

Is superhero Aquaman travelling Economy now? So it would seem as this harpoon was discovered at Portland International Airport in February. The passenger got let off the hook, but the harpoon's voyage on their carry-on case was over there and then.

All cute and inconspicuous, this foraging tool might be portabella and easy to pack, but absolutely no sharp objects, no matter how small or well-intended, can be allowed aboard in a carry-on. Found at Burlington International Airport in March, we're sure the passenger wasn't much fungi to be around for the rest of the day...

A portable air compressor is not something you see in a checked bag every day, but the airhead who packed it left the officers at Tampa International Airport gasping for air once they saw what's hidden inside. With the help of US Customs & Border Protection they discovered two firearms and a hundred rounds of ammunition wrapped in aluminium and glued to the sides. 

Now read the TSA rules you need to know to avoid ending up on this list