Customs and Internal Searches

[Splatt]

There are lots and lots of things customs and the police don't report when related to seizures. Some may not even go as far to the police. But I have always wondered how they picked people out for internal examinations via the old glove or X-ray if swallowed.

Now all I can think is officers constantly watching security cameras for nervous people, but you can be nervous with customs even if you aren't consealing something. After Immigration/Passport check, do they alert customs officers on people that have been having short or very routine trips to the same types of areas, or same flights through different countries airports etc. Is it a tip off from someone, either a suspicion from international police or overseas customs, or just a regular joe or a rival importer. A combination of all. They seem to catch an awful lot of people for this, and while I've only heard of one story where someone in an adult education institution was anally searched by customs, even though he didn't do drugs or import them. It must happen a whole lot? This guy got a letter six months later, saying sorry, thats it. Could you take the feds/customs to court if you are wrongfully searched internally? And I wonder how much suspicious people they take to hospital for examination that turn out to be false.

Are they secretly and randomly using ion scanners somewhere along the line?
Maybe someone thats watched Airport Security more than me can give me an idea

 

[time traveler]

Who knows what technology is profiling you these days. I doubt airport security on channel 7 is going to show you the "good stuff". Its a safe bet though there is a guy in a room you cant see judging you on

1. Travel itinerary
2. Body language
3. Stress levels in voice
4. Criminal History
5. Ion Scanning
6. Thermal Imaging

So lets say you did hide something up somewhere. After a long flight i bet thermal imaging would be the "clincher". Get it .... clincher ........ oh i made another funny :D

 

[kingpin007]

I always watch border security and I was even on a jury where an old woman in her 60's and her 40 year old brother were busted with like 2 kilos of pills in each suitcase,From what I read and heard they were picked out because of the route they took to get to australia and having a map of Amsterdam in their luggage.The pills were hidden inside new suitcases and wrapped in carbon ink paper ( as if that fools xrays sheesh).

But if you had seen them they looked like normal people...

Its all about your passport and how much you travel and how long you stay in each country and what countries you go through to get to your final destination.

They went from poland to amsterdam by plane then caught trains/coaches all the way to italy then from italy got on a plane to sydney...

If you are looking over your shoulders alot or figity or maybe even sweating there other reasons you get picked out...

Its very hard to look bored and normal when you have kilos of drugs in your suitcase or on you.

I dont think they do internal searchs anymore they just get feds to take you to hospital for a quick xray. Internal searches maybe in other countries when the customs officials are gay and want to have fun with you.

Oh and if your wondering about the case I had to sit through the brother testified that his sister knew nothing and police said they would let her go home to poland if he pleaded guilty so case against her had to be restarted with new jury and I got to go home after 3 days and earnt myself $300 for my troubles ... oh and the pills were white mitsi's and comtained 40% mdma in each pill lab tested by feds.

being on a jury you learn alot but can also be boring... I nearly fell asleep hahah

 

[lovebrisvegas]

I always watch border security and I was even on a jury where an old woman in her 60's and her 40 year old brother were busted with like 2 kilos of pills in each suitcase,From what I read and heard they were picked out because of the route they took to get to australia and having a map of Amsterdam in their luggage.The pills were hidden inside new suitcases and wrapped in carbon ink paper ( as if that fools xrays sheesh).

But if you had seen them they looked like normal people...

Its all about your passport and how much you travel and how long you stay in each country and what countries you go through to get to your final destination.

They went from poland to amsterdam by plane then caught trains/coaches all the way to italy then from italy got on a plane to sydney...

If you are looking over your shoulders alot or figity or maybe even sweating there other reasons you get picked out...

Its very hard to look bored and normal when you have kilos of drugs in your suitcase or on you.

I dont think they do internal searchs anymore they just get feds to take you to hospital for a quick xray. Internal searches maybe in other countries when the customs officials are gay and want to have fun with you.

Oh and if your wondering about the case I had to sit through the brother testified that his sister knew nothing and police said they would let her go home to poland if he pleaded guilty so case against her had to be restarted with new jury and I got to go home after 3 days and earnt myself $300 for my troubles ... oh and the pills were white mitsi's and comtained 40% mdma in each pill lab tested by feds.

being on a jury you learn alot but can also be boring... I nearly fell asleep hahah

You of course voted NOT GUILTY ?

I would be incredibly biased as a juror muahaha

 

[psytaco]

I remember them pulling some guys out of the line before they had began to be processed by customs when i was arriving back from thailand. They looked just like normal backpacker types.
i have had limited experience with Aust customs but from what i can tell they have sniffer dogs to sniff you out. Then you get to the customs desk and they sort you from there - they ask you a bunch of questions about how long you were there for, what you were doing - i imagine here is where the profiling comes in. After that you go through an x-ray machine with all your bags x-rayed (in asia they didn't do any of this x-ray shit on arrival - even in sinfgapore which was surprising). This would be where the technology comes in. they searched my bags very lightly but more for dirt on my shoes, nothing else. No ion scanners etc.

 

[echo off]

i've been told that australia has the most highly trained customs agents in the world. that it's not a job you can get without the right degree. my mum has had first hand experience learning in a joint-seminar with some of them (regarding auditing wtf?) and vouched proudly for the intelligence of those she met. i dunno, i think that's kinda made me trust them.

in fact, the one time i have been searched through customs he impressed me by telling me the sea shells i'd collected might have small animals living in them... i was 15 after he checked them i got to keep them. yay

 

[Splatt]

Exporting our goods is good for our economy.. Drug dealers like to buy big TVs and Playstation 3's, and lots and lots of alcohol and cigarettes.. All nice taxable items

when i watch Border Security i wonder how they picked these people out. They point out nervous behaviour, but jee i would be nervous. The show makes such a big story out of so little sometimes, drags it on forever then it ends up that the guy isnt carrying anything.

I been through Aus customs on my own once and i was dam nervous, not coz i had done anything wrong i guess i am just anxious in unfamiliar situations. When i was asked my age when the person was lookin at my passport i answerd one year younger than i am, then corrected myself (i had just had my bday). Then when i was dragging my luggage thru the declare thingy i was nervous talkin to the ppl about the stuff i was declareing and my hands were even shaking i think. I was also coming from a 'high risk' country. I knew i wasnt carrying or had done anything illegal but if thats enough grounds for them to start questioning me additionaly then i know id get even more nervous.
Customs when i was going TO my destination (Malaysia) was a laugh. As soon as we picked up our suitcases we walked straight past the customs ppl who were sitting around talking, and straight outside. No ones bags at all were even asked to be checked. I guess its not always like that but it was a nice change to get out of an airport quickly.

 

[felix]

^ great post, interesting thread.

i've always thought these documentaries overplay their effectiveness. like in 'the world's wildest police chases' and the like, they don't show you how many get away.

total propaganda.

(not saying anyone should get complacent, of course...)

 

[hoptis]

They are well trained enough to pick up 'tells' - like in poker - certain movements or facial expressions that would indicate a person to be potentially smuggling drugs.

Good post.

This is similar to what police do with sniffer dogs when used at events in Australia. People go to all the trouble of triple-bagging and shoving a ten pack up their bum and at the end of the day, the look on their face is what gives them away when a dog approaches.

As it's been said many times, I highly doubt the effectiveness of these sniffer dogs when it comes to drugs like ecstasy and meth and I think it highly more likely the dogs are used as a pretext to search an individual. The trainers are looking just as much at how you react to the dog as he is at the dog itself.

 

[Splatt]

I do think they're definitely trained to smell drugs, be it the drugs themselves, eben though being odourless when pure to humans, or the impurities present in MDMA and meth, or tablet binders. Because if you read my experience at a Sydney rave in the sniffer dog thread, the dog knew exactly where my drugs were after I went to a lot of effort to conseal them. It was because I kept my cool and didn't let it bother me and just shrugged it off, they didn't search me. I think if a dog smells something on you, and you act paranoid, act suspiciously or over act your confidence in trying to show you have nothing, or walk away/run, you're going to be searched.

In Brisbane in the Walk the Line operations which targetted the main clubs where there are reports security, staff and club owners turn a blind eye to drug use, the majority of the people searched were wearing phat pants and singlets saying Pillfreak etc. and fitted your typical raver dress. I think having a bag on you as well makes you more likely to be searched.

I think they do something to the leash of the dog very slyly if they suspect your have drugs on you, to make the dog sit down near you. But because in Sydney I was wearing jeans, and a t-shirt and don't really look like your typical skinny meth freak, the dog smelled at my creotch several times, each time being pulled back by the police officer. I think if I was hiding 50 pills, I would have a harder time keeping my cool and not showing nervousness, and the police officer/dog handler would definitely pick up on it.

One thing was when they were trialing dogs at the train stations. An Irish tourist who was pretty old at Roma St train station was sniffed, and searched. I think he may of been detained and searched pretty thoughorly, but all they found was Lipitor or some heart medications in blister packs on him.

 

[En_warp]

just a quick question,

i heard that when coming into australian airports from overseas its legal to carry 3 months supply of medication with you, as long as you have a doctor or priscription letter from a doctor.

Is this true???

cheers

 

[lil angel15]

Check out the information below which should give you a better idea of what you can and can't do. You're pretty much on the money though with what you heard.

I am travelling to Australia by plane or ship and need to bring my medication with me. What do I need to do?

If the medication does not contain a controlled substance in either Appendix A or Appendix B you may bring up to 3 months supply without needing any permission provided that in the case of injections it does not contain material of human or animal origin.

• If the medication does contain a controlled substance which is in Appendix B (eg narcotic orpsychotropics) you do not need any permission to bring it into Australia provided that it does not also contain a steroid or growth hormone in Appendix A; and
• it does not contain any substance in Schedule 9 (Prohibited Substance) of the Standard for the Uniform Scheduling of Drugs and Poisons (eg cannabis);
• the medicine is not an injection containing a substance of human or animal origin (except insulin - insulin is allowed); and
• you do not bring more than a 3 month supply at the maximum dose recommended by the manufacturer; and
• you do NOT supply (sell or give) the medicine to any other person; and
• you are able to produce the prescription or letter (in English) from a Doctor on request from an authorised person.

If you need to bring anabolic/ androgenic steroids which are in Appendix A, contact the Treaties and Compliance Section (02 6289 3200). If you need to bring growth hormones which are in Appendix A, contact the Experimental Drugs Section on 02 6232 8101 or 1800 020 653.

Therapeutic Goods Administration

Hope this helps.

 

[Splatt]

If it isn't a banned substance. Yes thats true. I'm not so sure if bringing back 3 months supply of valium from thailand is that legit though. I would think you may need an Australian doctors prescription, I might be wrong though.

 

[lil angel15]

Valium (Diazepam) is included in the controlled substance list within Appendix B - Substances subject to import and export controls. As such, these items would need to be declared and a written authorisation, in English, from a medical practitioner for the medicine would need to be provided.

If in doubt about any of these restrictions you should contact the TGA for clarification.

Contact details for enquiries about importing or exporting

Enquiries about importing or exporting medicines

Email: [email protected]
Phone:

• 02 6232 8444
• 1800 170 723 (freecall)
• Users who are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment can call through the National Relay Service:

• TTY or computer with modem users phone 1800 555 677 then ask for 1800 020 653
• Speak and listen (speech to speech relay) users phone 1800 555 727 then ask for 1800 020 653

Fax: 02 6232 8605
Post: Office of Chemical Safety, PO Box 100, Woden ACT 2606, Australia

 

[volume-A]

Think of a casino situation there are cameras all over the place. The guy who stares u down and stamps your passport really has nothing to do with picking you up if your a suspicious person.

I can tell you there are one way mirrors, and the camera operators are highly trained in profiling people, thats not to say people dont get through obviously, but these men and women know what they're doing far beyond the reconizing the "nervous traveller"

The drug dogs are typically used in public restricted areas where your baggage is located before you recieve it. The dogs you see out in the public are usually looking for fruit or certain food items.

 

[djsim]

There are lots and lots of things customs and the police don't report when related to seizures. Some may not even go as far to the police. But I have always wondered how they picked people out for internal examinations via the old glove or X-ray if swallowed.
...Are they secretly and randomly using ion scanners somewhere along the line?
Maybe someone thats watched Airport Security more than me can give me an idea

In an instance where drugs have been ingested, customs officers will generally get tips from air marshalls and flight attendants as to who can't sit properly in their seats (due to distended stomach and intestine) and passengers who don't touch their food (no more room) or show other obvious signs.
Customs officers also look for hiccups, burping or other signs of an internally concealed shipment.

As far as spotting who is lying, I've been told by a very good source that customs officers can spot whether you are hiding something by simply looking at your neck (even the back of the neck). Apparently the muscles look slightly different to the trained eye. Also, when someone lies a small muscle beneath the ear will twitch which is another red flag.

But if you think about it, these people do the job day in and day out. They can spot them a mile off.

 

[Splatt]

djim: the ear one i didnt know about, the neck one i use quite a lot but i haven't found it fool proof for everyone. anxious people will generally do it anyway. but then again it could be people who just mash their body language around because they're either used to liars a lot or lie a lot.

But thats interesting about the flight attendees etc.. I never thought of that at all. You'd need some extreme guts to import into a country, imagine the paranoia of importing or going through a south east asian airport and their customs. Thinking of life in their jails or the death penalty... at least in Australia, if you actually follow the cases after the big bust on the news, you find out their penalty for bringing in heaps of heroin etc.. is only 4-8 years, normally parole after 2 and a half to 3 years and stuff like that.

 

[Splatt]

Since Europe "apparently" (as the news says) is going to be used as a heroin route as the increased volume of this years Afghan poppies/heroin crop etc. don't think Customs won't start cracking down on Europe as much as they do Asian countries, India, South and North America now.