CREW HAD PAX CARRY ON HAZMAT IN CARRY ON BAGGAGE. SECURITY AT DEP STATION DID NOT QUESTION 12 METAL CANS IN CARRY ON BAGGAGE.

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APPROX 45 MIN INTO FLT THE FA'S RPTED SEVERAL CANS OF CARB CLEANER FLUID HAD BEEN DISCOVERED IN A PASSENGERS LUGGAGE LOCATED IN THE OVER-HEAD BIN ABOVE SEATS 00XXX. AT LEAST 1 OF THE CANS HAD LEAKED AND FUMES WERE PRESENT IN THE CABIN. THE PURSER; FO; AND I DISCUSSED HOW TO MINIMIZE THE EXPOSURE TO THE FUMES. I PLACED THE PACKS IN HIGH FLOW AND WENT BACK TO ASSESS THE SIT. THE FO WENT ON THE 02 MASK AND REVIEWED THE EMER PROC FOR SMOKE/FUMES/ODOR WHILE I WAS AFT AND PLACED THE CABIN FANS OFF TO SHUT OFF RECIRC AIR. AT SEAT 00XX I FOUND THE FA'S HAD JUST DISCOVERED MORE CANS OF CARB FLUID FOR 12 TOTAL. THE FUMES WERE STRONG; BUT NOT OVERPOWERING. THE PURSER AND I DISCUSSED SECURING THEM IN THE AFT LAV; UPRIGHT IN PLASTIC BAGS TO CONTAIN THE FUMES. WHILE THEY DID THAT I RETURNED TO THE FLT DECK AND ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT DISPATCH BY COMMERCIAL RADIO (VHF AND HF) AND FINALLY ACARS. HF WAS UNUSABLE POSSIBLY DUE TO HIGH SUNSPOT ACTIVITY AND VHF WAS OUT OF RANGE. ACARS WORKED THRU-OUT FLT. HOWEVER; INITIAL RESPONSE SEEMED SLOW. ONCE CANS WERE SECURED IN LAV FUMES UNDER CTL AND NO LONGER AN ISSUE. REQUESTED INFO FROM DISPATCH CONCERNING FIRE HAZARD WITH THIS MATERIAL. DISPATCH SAID CALL WAS IN TO HAZMAT; BUT NO RESPONSE. DECIDED TO CONTINUE. FUMES CONTAINED; NO IGNITION SOURCE. 1 HR 20 FROM CCS FA RPTED CRAMPS. CONTINUED TO CCS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE CARB CLEANER WAS DESIGNED TO BE AN ADDITIVE TO GASOLINE AND WAS LABELED 'EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE.' THERE WERE 12 METAL CANS CARRIED IN A CARRY ON BAG. SECURITY DID NOT QUESTION THE CARRIAGE OF THE METAL CANS. PAX WIFE INDICATED PAX HAS DONE THIS BEFORE ON PREVIOUS FLIGHTS AND SAID HE WILL AGAIN ON FUTURE FLIGHTS. THE COMPANY CONFISCATED THE HAZMAT; BUT DID NOT TAKE FURTHER ACTION. THE FA DECLINED MEDICAL TREATMENT AT THE DESTINATION. THERE WERE ALSO SEVERAL PAX THAT BECAME ILL FROM FUMES.