I had my latop searched my US customs

[bohemia]

My last trip back from Thailand I was singled out at customs in LAX and the agent went through my baggage.  I had nothing and I had a laptop in a bag with a shoulder strap.  She didn't ask about that.  By the way of searching it was drugs they were looking for. It took about 30 minutes extra time and the person picking me up was late so it worked out.  It is not really random who they pick out.  One of the things that flagged me was the time outside the country--3 months.  My story for them is true and consistent, I am married and stay with my family in Thailand.  I also went to India which might have upped the drug concerns.  I am traveling alone and I am 66 years old.  Maybe I should dress like a dork tourist, but I have nothing so let them play even though it is annoying and a bit scary.    

[BAM]

The way it works is it's up to the Immigration officer to flag you for a search... he's also seeing all the information about you they have on his computer and when he runs you're passport they know everything about you.. He then stamps your passport and asks you a few questions to see how you react ...he'll then write a special code number that they change every day on your customs declaration card that will alert the customs officer at the customs checkpoint to have you searched. Nothing is random in most cases... you'll likely chosen for a variety of reasons. Also they run a computer background check on everyone on the flight before the flight even lands... you're likely set to be searched even before your flight lands.

[JaiDee]

I agree, Bam ...... I bet I have come in through various points of entry {that sounds pornographic in its own right!} about 40 times since 1998 and it's almost always planned searches, never random. The first guy scans the PP ..... also asks questions to hopefully trip you up ..... and see's the red flags I always bring up right there on his PC, same as anyone else who travels to weird places like I do.


        First oversea's trip to Asia in '98; Nam, Cambo and Thailand.... that caused quite a stir and resulted in a strip -and-cavity search..... then, bringing in some copyrighted Panthip goodies for Christmas gifts in 2006  made me even more of a target  in recent years {hey, I really didn't know those flicks were illegal to bring in!  Who really cares about a "Dude, where's my Car" hacked movie?"}.

    This time, coming from Mexico, not sure why they were so nice; Christmas spirit?  they weren't busy at all and the initial guy greeted me, asked me some questions, and marked the red felt pen with a large "OK" on it and at the next stop I was waved through.  Thanks!


                *Key point ... these Customs guys are REAL cops and have guns and shit, so you have to respect and fear these dudes; not like the 8-dollar per hour losers they just brought in from the food court to work for the TSA.

[anicon]

..I've never been pulled aside for a random search leaving or entering Thailand, the Phil. or SFO (San Francisco) .. LAX may run more checks than SFO.. I have always been waved thru customs as most of everyone else that leaves the plane I have been on from a return flight from overseas.. just lucky I guess..  If they ask me about the purpose of my visit I tell them i have business there or visiting family, either way i have names, addresses, & business cards to back it up, just another way of being prepared to BS my way thru their questions if they ask!  Just be prepared & don't get flustered by their questions & you'll be ok; if you answer quickly & direct they won't suspect your BS'g them.. so far it's worked for me!  

[Road Runner]

Bam's entirely correct about the profiling.

I worked in the shipping industry for 30+ years.

It's rare for any immigration or customs official in any country to take any interest in us as they know that most companies would not even employ us if we had any serious customs or immigration offences.

I've never been stopped by Customs entering the UK either via an airport or through a sea port.

On the otherhand I know people that have been stopped and were stupid enough to have broken the regulations in a minor way.  
They have then been stopped nearly every time they go through.

RR.

[Tralala777]

If you have the misfortune to have had "problems" with UK customs,you are flagged for two years,and get stopped re-entering the UK every time.This happened to me some 20 years ago.

A few years ago,I was pulled over at Gatwick,and the customs officer asked if I had "history" with them.I said "no",only to be told that twelve years earlier I in fact did. Its awesome what these people know!

As I get older,the stops are rare now.Had a couple when returning to London from Bangkok,think they were looking for narcotics.Showed no interest whatsoever in Pantip dvds,clothing or footwear.

On most return trips to the UK though,there are no customs visible by the green exit.Happened last month when coming back from New York,and an Amsterdam flight was coming through too.I'm sure they would be keeping an eye on things from somewhere though.

The Jamaica flight though sees mobs of police,immigration and customs like you wouldn't believe.

[LadyboyCrush]

(BAM @ Dec. 29 2008,06:51) The way it works is it's up to the Immigration officer to flag you for a search... he's also seeing all the information about you they have on his computer and when he runs you're passport they know everything about you.. He then stamps your passport and asks you a few questions to see how you react ...he'll then write a special code number that they change every day on your customs declaration card that will alert the customs officer at the customs checkpoint to have you searched. Nothing is random in most cases... you'll likely chosen for a variety of reasons. Also they run a computer background check on everyone on the flight before the flight even lands... you're likely set to be searched even before your flight lands.

Ah, I knew that customs guy was trying to be clever... On my way back from Colombia (to Los Angeles) the customs officer (in a very friendly tone) said "Did you bring anything back for me? (followed by a snorting sound)" -- My reaction was shock -- I was surprised he asked that, especially in the way he did...

Apparently I reacted "correctly" because I wasnt flagged that particular time...

hehe

[deepthroat]

Great response again Doug.

My question is regarding entering Thailand. Being the organized anal NOOB that I am, I have a dossier about 50 pages long of information on various girls, bars, clubs, etc - 85% mongering related - that I wanted to bring with me. This is my self-compiled "newbie guide" gleaned from this and other similar LOS websites. Do I need to be worried about a Thai customs agent reading it?

Just writing the question out and seeing it in black and white has me thinking that I'd better at least change some of the text to code. For example change "Taek is an excellent deepthroater" to "Taek is an excellent massaeuse" or something similar.

[rafepix]

Good advice EyeMahk, also obviously clean your history and caches.  If you are using outlook don't forget all those pics your buddies in LOS attached to emails.  Better to use outlook on your home computer and then just use webmail when you are away.

Whenever I have material I want to get home I simply send it EMS mail and I have never had a problem with DVD's or mini DV tapes. I suspect that some day I will get a note from customs that a package has been inspected but I put the ID's and model releases right in with the pics.  Any miscellaneous questionable pics I will simply email or ftp myself.

Note Canada Customs is the same as I sat there for an hour as they tried to find some naughty pics. No big surprise that I was pulled aside, mid 40's guy with a laptop and camera equipment coming from 3 weeks in Thailand. This is not CSI, customs agents are generally not much brighter than mall cops. But I find they also take their jobs very seriously which gives them a lot of power over your immediate liberty.

It's pretty obvious they are only looking for kiddie porn (even though they won't say why they are searching you). So just take these minor precautions and it will only be a minor inconvenience as opposed to the minor ordeal that D33 experienced (a major ordeal would be if they actually found some pics that you couldn't prove were adults). Just stay calm, answer there questions in a pleasant manner and they'll soon move on.

[doug]

(deepthroat @ Jan. 03 2009,00:32) Great response again Doug.

My question is regarding entering Thailand. Being the organized anal NOOB that I am, I have a dossier about 50 pages long of information on various girls, bars, clubs, etc - 85% mongering related - that I wanted to bring with me. This is my self-compiled "newbie guide" gleaned from this and other similar LOS websites. Do I need to be worried about a Thai customs agent reading it?

Just writing the question out and seeing it in black and white has me thinking that I'd better at least change some of the text to code. For example change "Taek is an excellent deepthroater" to "Taek is an excellent massaeuse" or something similar.

there's no reason for undo paranoia.

travelling around with underaged ladyboy porn on your laptop is one thing, but a printed guide to naughty nightlife isn't anything to be concerned about.

it's highly unlikely that a thai customs agent would even know what slang words like "deepthroater" means. he might think it's some kind of fish or maybe some cough medicine.

but it's even more unlikely that he'd even read it. half the time thai customs don't even bother to sit at their desk. i've walked by their table dozens of times and it's often empty or the agents are too busy gossiping with each other to bother with yet-another-farang.

personally, i think they just hang around waiting to harass arab families and black guys, because, you know, they're OBVIOUSLY the dangerous type.

[Stogie]

(rafepix @ Jan. 03 2009,01:16) ...also obviously clean your history and caches...

Actually, if I were a customs agent I would immediately be suspicious of anyone who had done this.

My guess is that their interest is in 'illegal' pornography and/or narcotics.

If you have none of these things then there's no need to be paranoid and hide what you actually do have!

[JaiDee]

sounds about right ...... clearing the cache only makes 'em dig deeper anyway

and we all know there is nothing you can hide in your laptop if Customs wants to see it ..... and as Bam said further back, encrypting shit only makes these guys pissed off even more and they will just keep it and send it to you later; IF it's clean.

My friend from Colorado who ran one of the first shemale websites had his laptop kept there in San Francisco one time when they found thousands of shemale pics..... they kept it for 3 weeks, he got it in the mail then and it was all beat up and the insides were a mess, but who do you complain to?

[BAM]

Did you know you can go over to Cambodia and fire off a real live RPG for about $200.

I'd love to know what the US Customs guys would think when they find thit video of your RPG adventure on your laptop computer... most likely they'd mark you down as "Person known to have terrorist camp training" and you'd be treated worse then Bin Laden when ever you enter the USA. So it might be a good idea to FTP anything like this out and not have it on your Laptop too...

[SamplerDoc]

Good Stuff Bam
Just need some Whacky weed and LB vids to go with it

[jb8]

The RPG video is sweet! I'd love to give that a shot, looks like much fun!