Airport/Customs story

last weekend, I was in Rotterdam for a company conference. It was a gathering of my colleagues from our worldwide offices. So naturally, i had ordered a C2, an FL6, a Benchmade Gravitator knife, some leatherman tools, via my colleague in the US. Little did I know, he was also bringing in a guitar for my other colleague in the Holland office. So, what had happened was, at the customs at Schipol airport, he was detained for 3(!) hours, just because had all those gear with him and the customs/airport security were VERY curious why he's bringing all these strange looking lights/tactical flashlights...

I really felt sorry for the guy and felt bad abut him being detained. I bought him a drink after the conference though...but man..to be detained for 3 hrs over some flashlights ( well..maybe the strange looking Gravitator nife didnt help the case either!)


On the other hand, on my way back to Malaysia, i brought my C2 and FL6 as hand carry, no problems whatsoever at the scanning machines....

that poor guy! i've always found the Malaysian customs the worst to deal with as they'll go through *all* your stuff on a whim and fancy, but i suppose with the whole world on edge lately, 'tactical stuff' would tend to single people out.

that said however, i've never had problems taking lights around, except one time when i brought my 4D mag for a trip as hand luggage and had trouble entering the boarding gate. but with some friendly conversation i was through strangely enough, my SFs and GL4 don't seem to attract any attention...

Only problems I had with malaysian customs was years ago when I would come home for vacation from university. They always ask if got any Playboy or Penthouse magazines...:laughing::laughing::laughing:

On a trip to thailand I had in my carry bag a 6xAA battery pack with clear shrinkwrap with the crudest wiring which probably looked like a bomb, and 8pcs of NiMH AA in battery holders, and a pocket weighing scale that probably looked like a timer. Good thing I wasn't detained...

flashgreenie said:

Only problems I had with malaysian customs was years ago when I would come home for vacation from university. They always ask if got any Playboy or Penthouse magazines...:laughing::laughing::laughing:

Click to expand...

so did you? i bet you had them all stashed in the suitcase lining! :shakehead :laughing:

quoting Ronald Reagan, 'I cannot recall'... :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Somy Nex said:

so did you? i bet you had them all stashed in the suitcase lining! :shakehead :laughing:

Click to expand...

I belive it must have been Holland customs because Schiphol Airport is in the Netherlands not Malaysia .

True, true but some of us are just hijacking this thread for some fun with Malaysian custom...:laughing:

mountain said:

I belive it must have been Holland customs because Schiphol Airport is in the Netherlands not Malaysia .

Click to expand...

I never liked Malaysian customs... the trick is to get there at around lunchtime (12-1.00) they usually close one eye or both....

flashgreenie said:

Only problems I had with malaysian customs was years ago when I would come home for vacation from university. They always ask if got any Playboy or Penthouse magazines...:laughing::laughing::laughing:

Click to expand...

Why? are you not allowed to have them there? Or they just wanna take them for their own viewing?

Pornography is a no no in Malaysia. The official line is to confiscate but I am sure some of the customs officers take them home themselves. I still remember the photography magazines I used to buy and any pics with naked breasts will have a black marker line censoring the nudity. Imagine the poor saps that has to do that to all the magazines. :laughing:

nemul said:

Why? are you not allowed to have them there? Or they just wanna take them for their own viewing?

Click to expand...