A very strange and embarrasing question?

[SusieQQQ]

They show that program here. I always sit there with an open mouth at a) the audacity of people that have their whole suitcase stuffed full of exotic prohibited items and b) the unbelievably anal stance the Aussies have on the range of things you can't bring in to Australia.

In contrast to that I went through US immigration/customs check around 70 times when I was commuting from the UK and I would guess I was carrying something slightly illicit about 60 of those 70 times (things like tea bags, marmite and so on for fellow brits). In all those visits I never had a single search or a single problem.

The difference of course (apart from the fact that the Aussies do seem to be extremely anal about their laws) is that it is an island, so they can control much better what goes in. My father always takes loads of food I'm with him when he visits home and I have taken to him too - as long as there's no meat or unprocessed plant material they seem fine with it in the US. Tea bags are a staple and never a problem!

 

[Vichel]

Australia's quarantine laws are necessarily anal. Because of it's geographic isolation, it has a unique ecosystem that doesn't have the protection from exotic pests and diseases that can be imported from other countries by ignorant tourists and foreign-born residents "just bringing a bit of home" with them. The results can be catastrophic - environmentally and economically. Australia has more than enough to deal with currently, with already stupidly-introduced pests like rabbits, foxes, cane toads, feral camels, wood-boring insects, citrus canker, Dieback fungus that is killing trees all across the country, fire ants, various weeds, etc. that it doesn't need any more additional invasive or destructive pests. Billions of dollars are already spent dealing with the current nightmare.

I fully support Australia's anal stance at the border. Border Security was one of my favourite programs. I'd cheer them on when they caught people bringing in prohibited items, with their oh, so innocent excuses and looks on their faces. Rules are rules.

 

[vladek15425]

Have you ever watched the program "Border Security" about Australia? This is entirely possible.

I did to day a research on utube and indeed. I saw hoe the aussie immgration officers are
Operating !!! Very strict and they also explain why they reposes all those extic animals and plants
Coz they don't want to pollute the australian fauna and flaura.
However I don't understand those people that trying to smuglle
Snakes insects in and out its rediculous, and scary lol
While I was on uttube I found a helarious vid worth to check I laughed my self to death
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RQbH3fyGerE

 

[franko]

Hi friends,
I am planning to leave in the next 20 days to New York with God's grace. And here is my question. A friend of mine who lives there, has asked me to take something very strange to him, hahahah!!!! It is something called Naswar( a variant of Snuff. It has tobacco and other ingredients in it. People make small balls out of it, and put it in their under lips, and get some pleasure as they claim. The question is, Will they allow me at the US airport with such a thing? I mean, I don't want to be arrested and put in jail, for this Naswar thing, hahah!!!! You can check what "Naswar" is basically.
And what do you say, should I call the State Department and ask this question from them? Or maybe the KCC girls, hahah????


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naswar

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snuff_(tobacco)



Thank you so much my friends!!!!!!

When I first saw the topic I thought that Gabam will ask something like "Does size really matter? Hairy chest or baby smooth torso, what's better?" or something along those lines but the topic turned out to be quite interesting

I must admit I agree with most people here. It is not worth it to piss the wrong border guy off !!! You might end up deported and will have to prove your case from abroad which will complicate the whole thing.

I do not want to offend anyone but most of these guys aren't "the sharpest knifes in the drawer" (why would they otherwise end up doing this kind of job, I don't believe that anyone could dream about being a border officer) and most times they look like they would like to keep everyone from entering the US. This is an explosive combination in my opinion and results in people being sent home for having a "wrong" haircut.

Have a look at this:

http://m.vice.com/en_uk/read/i-was-given-a-full-body-search-by-american-border-guards

or this:

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/4098130

In a nutshell, every time I manage to cross American border I feel a sense of achievement ! Too many times I've seen Canadians, Brits, Aussies and Americans held and sometimes stopped at the border. Don't get me started on all other terrorist nations

To me the process of crossing US border seems to be quite random and I would advice reducing the number of uncommon items to ZERO