People were evacuated from the upper level of a Los Angeles Airport terminal after mortar shells were found at a baggage screening area, a law enforcement official said.

A Los Angeles Police Department bomb squad responded to the scene at around 9:40pm on May 16, police department spokesman Lieutenant Jason Lee said. No explosives were found.

"We found out that it was an inert round," Lee said, "No explosives, just a shell."

Lee said there were no arrests. Passengers were allowed back into the terminal less than two hours later.

The terminal services a dozen airlines, including Northwest Airlines, Air Canada and Virgin Atlantic etc.