Airport X-ray shows terrifying object taped in carry-on to skip checked baggage fee

A traveler tried to dodge a $100 baggage fee by hiding a dangerous item inside her carry-on bag - but it wasn't long before she was caught red-handed.

Officers searched the bag and discovered the knife had been taped in place inside the luggage, according to TSA.

"Her response to me was, 'I was attempting to conceal this knife from TSA,'" Supervisory TSA Officer Andrew Kasten said.

The Dane County Sheriff's Office and TSA Manager Annie Lu responded to the scene, TSA said.

The woman told officers she did not think TSA would find the knife. 

She said she chose not to check her luggage because she wanted to avoid a $100 baggage fee, according to the agency.

TSA Officer Callie Meis, who has worked for the agency for 22 years, first flagged the bag for additional screening after spotting the suspected knife on the X-ray.

"Our team does a great job making sure every possible threat is found when we need to conduct additional screening," Kohn said.

TSA officers are trained to detect concealed items - and Kasten warned travelers against risking potential penalties in an effort to save money.

"When contemplating the options of saving a few dollars or paying a federal civil penalty due to something hidden, I recommend being smart about it," Kasten said. 

Fox News Digital reached out to TSA for comment and further details.