An experience similar to Manda's

[captaind]

I usually carry 10 patties home. I return to MCO. I always declare the patties because I know the dog will alert on my suitcase.

No big deal.

[Marko]

never had any problems in all mi years flying back and forth to Jamaica......nuthin

but the only thing that has ever happened to mi was when I took a cruise once.........
Montego Bay was one of the Ports of call......and yes I made mi way out to Negril.......though it was a tease
there were a bunch of us guys hanging together and partying.....but one guy was an idiot..couldn't get rid of him either
well the last night on the cruise the idiot got trashed and caused problems with a couple female passengers and bartenders etc...
ship security never ever came up to us nor identify themselves........guess they were in plain tourist clothes
for all I know one of the security guys could have been one of the guys hanging with us on a few occasions......
and I have admit security was pretty lax on that cruise......even going in and out of Ports....and this was after 911...
so when I was departing the ship at the end of the cruise I was detained as were the other guys because of the idiot.......
evidently security had been monitoring us and alerted security and Florida State Police at debarkation that there were some wild guys and one top notch idiot on the cruise who were probably doing drugs.......lol

so being guilty by association we were all strip searched by security and the Florida State Police in Port........
they were convinced that idiot had do being doing drugs to behave and act the way he was.......lol
so they thought we were all doing drugs.....not......the guy was just a plain IDIOT
the guy didn't do drugs nor us and the guy was just a plain idiot when he got trashed.........
so they went thru every single item I had and asked and grilled mi with a ton of questions etc etc..........
when they couldn't find anything........they let us all go.......finally
I always wondered if one of our Ports of Call wasn't Montego Bay if we would have ever been strip searched...
I know for a fact that one couple did bring some smoke on board in Montego Bay....
they were bragging about it but what a chance they took......so they were the second idiots I met that cruise
mi now convinced that some people shouldn't even be allowed leave the states......unless it's permanently....lol

just for the record......I haven't taken another cruise since.........lol

Cool Runnings, Marko

[negrilaholic]

I don't know what it is about me that made them want to do this, but I had to laugh when on the way INTO one of my trips to Jamaica my baggage was checked...had a note in my suitcase telling me so..couldn't help but think..who the hell smuggles stuff INTO Jamaica??

[Orchid]

I have been travelling solo for a lllloong time now, starting in my late teens; always a target for the searches, though I have yet to figure out why. I have asked a couple of times and heard different explanations, but none of them really make sense. I have come to the conclusion that the main reason is being on your own (travelling to exotic destinations) is probably the key. I was actually told once that they selected me because they were doing training and I looked "nice". I almost missed my flight because I looked "nice".....wtf
Since my destination has been Jamaica only for the last few years, I think it is even worse. On my September trip, I became well aquainted with the new body search xray machine. One thru the metal detector: "please step on the mat"....."this machine has randomly chosen you for......". I was in it twice on my trip home on Sept. 11 due to heightened security. Actually, it beats a pat down by far, so when they give you the option, I would choose the machine. You simply step inside, raise your arms, wait 3 seconds, done! Better then someones hands upon you. Then, as they usher everyone to the left coming out of security, they look at my card and say: Please come this way.....full luggage search as usual. This is why I always try to select flights with plenty of time in between conections. I have gotten used to it and just roll with it!

[OUV11112]

A friend had the drug dog come up to him in Toronto after a flight back from JA. He told the drug officer - "He must really like me". The officer said "Um no, he smells drugs on you". He had on shorts that he had been wearing while on vacation while he was rolling and smoking. The office asked him if he was stupid enough to bring anything back with him and he told him no. He was not pulled in.

[Lapurr]

We have been fairly lucky for most of our trips! Thank Goodness I just renewed my passport... I loved all my stamps!! I have no problems in Toronto(knock on wood) Had an issue in Ottawa once, they went through everything piece by piece...I asked them "what are you looking for? maybe I can help you" they told me to zip it! i was like ok then..I had some conch shells ....3 Big ones,but that was it!
Ususally while in JA I get nervous, that's where they ask a million questions! but not last time it was a breeze, I wasnt sure if I should tell them "yes, I'm here to see my husband" or just keep my mouth shut! They didnt ask, so I didnt tell!!

My daughter got drilled hard when she came for ATI..she said she was alone,but meeting up with friends from the U.S. and they had no issue with that! It just bugs me when they ask "why are you here?" ummm vacation!! But you were just here 4 months ago....ummm I know I have extra vacation time, why Jamaica again,why not try something new? ummm I like the food??????
I know I'm not doing anything wrong, they just make me nervous...One time I said I'm visiting a friend, they said gifts? I said No..they say u sure? no laptop-nope-no cell phones-nope-video games-huh?
I was like holy...search for yourselves! Do I look like Santa Claus?

[max2]

I get targeted for search where ever I travel. London..yup! Got pulled out of line and patted down. Florida.....got the pat down. Jamaica............I get singled out and taken out of line for boarding every time and my carry on is searched a second time. Italy......yup! Ireland..........Yup! Chicago......Yup! I got the pat down plus a search of my luggage just about every time I travel. All of my travel begins at ORD. All over Mexico........I get pulled out and searched. On one occasion, I was pulled out of lines four times in Cancun. The fourth time I was told to go to a lady for a search that was the same lady that searched me the first time. She recognized me and let me go without searching me again.

I am in my late 60's. I am small, blond and female. My husband never gets taken out of line or searched.

I met a TSA agent one time and she told me that she would probably pull me out for search, too. Her reason was that I was the person pulled out of line that would prove there was no racial profiling. If they search me that, certainly, shows that they search by random and not profiling.

[original spanky]

there was a iime in the late 70's and mid 80's i would bring back enuff to last me and girlfriend for much of the year.( light users.) the in 1990 i got caught , it was a friday so spent 3 nights in mo bay jail. hired a lawyer he go me out for a hefty fee. it was a harrowing experience ,one that makes for a good story but one i have no interest in doing again. the court room was a hoot though as they wore the white wigs. my attorney knew he had me by the cohones as i was told if i did not have an attorney i could be in there for a while. we had about 10 of us in a cell and the only non jamaican was a british guy who had been in for 6 months and had been told originally it would just be a few days so that along with the fact he appeared to be losing his marbles. figured i better hire the lawyer.
he was my slepmate as he was able to have a cot(we slept opposite ways) as he told the cellmates he would get them some money when he got released. i did get a ride over to Tim who owned Tim Air and he fronted me some money off a credit card to pay some expenses. the police who took me had me give them some "gas money".
as i sd pretty bad experience but a good story to tell. needless to say i no longer bring anything back (maybe just a small bit now and then)

[jon c.]

At least we know all the time and effort and money spent on disrupted people's lives is for a good cause. They have pretty much managed to eliminate drug use in north America.

[Biggs of the week]

I was comming home boarding out of Cali Colombia and was pulled out of line by two DAS agents.After a lenghtly interagation all in spanish ,no one would speak english.My bags were emptied and and every piece of clothing searched,they poked holes in my luggage with a ice pick and did the same to every bag of coffeeI had.They patted me down better than my prom date did.Then they told me I would have to board a bus with other suspects at the airport and when the bus was full we would go to a hospital for stomach x-rays.After pleading and showing them documents regarding my fathers death in Colombia (death suferticketl,burial plot,funeral bill) which I was telling all the time that was the reason I was there.I fit a profile my father died on Christmas Eve,I bought a ticket next day,paid cash,was travelling alone,short stay,I guess it all fit. Thank Jah I convinced them to let me board my flight.Never been hassled comming from Ja. over 30 times.Never a problem at U.S Customs but the DEA used to question me in the 70's on my trips back from Colombia.Always check your clothes twice when packing to come home is my motto!