Smuggling Drugs

[Bus Honeygun]

Something I've just pondered: I do a fair bit of foreign travel and have a rucksack pretty much permanently packed with stuff, including one of those transparent bags chock full of medical essentials such as plasters and antiseptic wipes, but mainly supplies of aspirin, ibuprofen, antihistamines and anti-diahorrea tablets.

I've never thought twice about it, because none of those things are illegal, but how do security know from looking at the x-ray scanners that I haven't just skillfully tampered with the blister packs and stuck something else in them? Nobody has ever asked to look at them, even when (annoyingly) my surname and dark skin regularly brings me bother from border staff.

I've no plans to smuggle anything BTW. Just wondered.

 

[Teaboy]

Something I've just pondered: I do a fair bit of foreign travel and have a rucksack pretty much permanently packed with stuff, including one of those transparent bags chock full of medical essentials such as plasters and antiseptic wipes, but mainly supplies of aspirin, ibuprofen, antihistamines and anti-diahorrea tablets.

I've never thought twice about it, because none of those things are illegal, but how do security know from looking at the x-ray scanners that I haven't just skillfully tampered with the blister packs and stuck something else in them?

I've no plans to BTW. Just wondered.

They don't really. When leaving they are mostly looking for weapons and bombs and shit. When arriving it depends on the country you are arriving into and how much they check / care. Obviously if they swab your bag / wallet and find traces of something they are going to dig deeper.

I have a friend who always takes small amounts with him and has never had a problem. I also know of a few guys who have accidentally had stuff in their pocket / wallet and got through.

So the chances of getting caught will small amounts is very slim but the consequences should you get caught can be massive.

 

[Bus Honeygun]

That's interesting. Cheers.

Funny you mention weapons. Couple of years ago I was at St Pancras for the Eurostar. It was really busy and I got slightly pushed to the side at security, so I could see the x-ray. Was just staring blankly at it when a suitcase appeared on screen containing the very definite outline of a handgun. The staff member didn't even flinch and then the image was gone.

I got a bit edgy, wondering if I was about to get caught up in a massacre, but then reasoned that if you were going to do that you'd probably not just stick a revolver in your suitcase and put it through the x-ray. Nobody got shot and I can only assume it was some kind of prompt for staff - 'This is what a handgun looks like'. Bit fucking weird if so, though.

 

[Boris Sprinkler]

those machines you watched. Was a computer generated image. Its to make sure staff are paying attention. Its weapons and explosives they are looking for.
Be sensible. Not paranoid. They are looking at enhanced xray images. I dont even think about it.

 

[Edie]

Are they x rays? I always think they can’t be cos no one is wearing lead and the exposure would be too great for staff or frequent flyers?

 

[Boris Sprinkler]

the machine wears lead.

 

[Edie]

the machine wears lead.

What about when they scan the person?

 

[skyscraper101]

What I don’t get is the inconsistency of having to remove shoes or not.

In America, it’s shoes off virtually every time. Here and most other places it’s far less consistent.

 

[salem]

The vast majority of shipments get through and of those that don't there's mostly going to be intelligence or suspicious body language (I once brought through a few extra cartons of cigs over and didn't look round until the tube left Hatton Cross).

You could probably get what 32 pills through disguised as paracetamol if you had steel nerves but is it worth it? The upside is you've smuggled £100 worth of drugs, if you get caught you're majorly fucked. Easier to post if you must.

 

[Chilli.s]

I think you may be onto a whole method of convenience smuggling and should set up a business to deal with the imitation tummy pills and convert them to the pills of one's particular proclivity making yourself a millionaire and helping mankind cross borders without worry.

 

[Boris Sprinkler]

Once you see airport security as being what it is, smoke and mirrors. Easier it is to think about logistics.

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

I read this thread as smuggling dogs.

I think I now have a screenplay ready for the next wrestler who wants to do break into family friendly acting roles.

 

[Johnny Doe]

I read this thread as smuggling dogs.

You'd need danny la rouge to hypnotise them into walking on their hind legs and wearing shirts and ties

 

[girasol]

They don't care about small amounts? But, as others said, anyone smuggling small quantities will get some hassle if caught. I once, accidentally, got a couple of tabs of acid through in my jacket pocket. They patted me down but, well, it was just two tiny squares if paper. I only realised I had them on me afterwards

 

[Elpenor]

A mate flew from Heathrow to Guatemala via Miami, with a wrap of coke in his jeans pocket (without realising he had it). Found it when he went to the loo at Miami airport. Flushed it immediately - he rates it as a very lucky escape!

 

[Wolveryeti]

A mate flew from Heathrow to Guatemala via Miami, with a wrap of coke in his jeans pocket (without realising he had it). Found it when he went to the loo at Miami airport. Flushed it immediately - he rates it as a very lucky escape!

What a pussy- should have just boshed it

 

[Elpenor]

What a pussy- should have just boshed it

Knowing him, I'm surprised he didn't, but he was going to his brother's wedding and had probably seen too many prison films

 

[pogofish]

I've no plans to smuggle anything BTW. Just wondered.

If you could smuggle yourself into the DF, you might just find a longstanding and possibly very informative thread there already.

 

[ice-is-forming]

I've smuggled a fair amount of drugs internationally and it's the bloody dogs that have always scared me.

 

[Badgers]

What a pussy- should have just boshed it

I had a situation like this discoverd a wrap of Ketamine in my wallet in the plane ffs.

Had #haggled a business class seat on a long haul flight. The plane was barely half full but it was not a pleasing experience.

 

[Badgers]

Also a gram in the knot of a tie and no hand luggage is a safe bet

 

[UnderOpenSky]

I found some a block of rather good charas next to my passport as I was flying out of Nepal. To Singapore. Which doesn't really bare thinking about.

 

[TopCat]

Are they x rays? I always think they can’t be cos no one is wearing lead and the exposure would be too great for staff or frequent flyers?

Electrically generated x rays. Negligible leakage.

 

[Spymaster]

A mate flew from Heathrow to Guatemala via Miami, with a wrap of coke in his jeans pocket (without realising he had it). Found it when he went to the loo at Miami airport. Flushed it immediately - he rates it as a very lucky escape!

Many years ago I found a wrap of speed in that small coin pocket of my jeans whilst I was actually in the security queue at Heathrow. I dropped it on the floor and gave it a sneaky kick.

With drug smuggling, like with most crimes, the authorities don’t seek to catch everyone that does it. That would be impossible. They look to deter the majority of people that might do it. Given the minimum that’s likely to happen is you get booted out of a country and probably have problems travelling for the rest of your life, and the maximum sentence can be ultimate, you’ve got to be pretty fucking stupid to do it even if the probability of getting caught with a small amount is pretty low.

 

[TopCat]

A woman I know will dissolve a gram of coke in water and put it in a nasal meds bottle. She then squirts people’s luggage in the queue for check in. She says it gives the dogs something to do and they never go for her.

 

[Edie]

A woman I know will dissolve a gram of coke in water and put it in a nasal meds bottle. She then squirts people’s luggage in the queue for check in. She says it gives the dogs something to do and they never go for her.

You know a drug mule?!

 

[TopCat]

You know a drug mule?!

I know some funny people.

 

[Edie]

I know some funny people.

Wow. What’s their motivation?

 

[Boris Sprinkler]

Just hit their smoke and mirrors with your theatre. I don’t want to talk about any success of my own. But think about the fuss they cause if they find innocuous substances or items in carry on luggage. Let them find that bottle of water. Argue about it, or at least be petulant.
Then once they have their success of finding that contraband, move on.

 

[nogojones]

Wow. What’s their motivation?

I imagine it's the package of benefits and opportunities for career progression that draws them to the role