Arriving in Australia

[meh_too]

Does anyone know under what criteria a Customs Officer can conduct a cavity search?  And what are the rules regarding cavity searches? I have googled but cannot find anything specific on it.

Does an individual have the right to refuse?

[meh_too]

I thought that may have a bearing on it.  It was Amsterdam....  yeah yeah I know.  But not every young person who comes in from Holland is a drug dealer.

She wanted to know what he was doing there (living and working for 4 years) and who bought his plane ticket (me)

I was too busy screaming and yelling when I overheard him tell his father to get the whole story and now I dont want to ask him about it cos I think I will just get madder.

I feel like tearing that b itches head off

[green.fields]

You may feel like that however they have a job to do and I find it is best to co-operate, that way you get through quicker. The fact that he was young, was coming in from Amsterdam probably raised the flag....Yes it is a bit insulting but believe me a cross section of the public gets pulled up.... How about me, racing to connect to a flight in Sydney going to the US and I got pulled aside for a drug check, little ole innocent me, not young. My name was on a list, a list I say, with other names. Just a cross section of people they wanted to check.

[acacia_pycnantha]

Young, coming from Amsterdam on a ticket bought for him by someone else.

What does he look like? Clothing? Hairstyle?

I once got taken aside in an airport for a spot check where they waved this electronic wand-like object over me and over my clothes.

I have very short hair and a very short beard. So maybe I also fitted their "profiling" criteria, whatever they are.

I asked the official what indications I gave for being singled out and he said, it was just a random check based on no indicators.

(edit for typo)

[darksideofthemoon]

Meh too, don't take it personally, it can happen to anyone and, really it's no big deal.  I know it can send you round the twist if you think that he was chosen because he looked like a drug dealer, but  that isn't the way it works.

Every country around the world is doing this, so don't let him think his 'land of birth' is especially one place he would rather not be, he could be searched again when he arrives back in Amsterdam... it's the risk people are taking who travel.

As the others have said, they do a cross section of the people arriving.  It also deters those being used to bring the drugs in if they believe they could be hauled over for no good reason.

What amazes me is that a cavity search is one thing, but what about those who still have the containers in their stomachs?  Are they scanned?

[azureline**]

I feel for your son but......... it is what we do to keep drugs out. Do you think the customs officer wanted to do a cavity search?

[meh_too]

Yes I do Az,  she told him his bag tested positive for cocaine and something else (I cant remember)  He didnt believe her and neither do I.

Her attitude was beligerent . I can believe that.

I have travelled all over the world and the only time I get this attitude from customs is when I arrive back in Brisbane.  

Welcome to Australia (or should I just say Queensland)  Land of tin pot dictators.

[***super_nova***]

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@meh_too wrote:

Yes I do Az,  she told him his bag tested positive for cocaine and something else (I cant remember)  He didnt believe her and neither do I.

Her attitude was belligerent . I can believe that.

I have travelled all over the world and the only time I get this attitude from customs is when I arrive back in Brisbane.  

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You must be joking!  Do you really believe that the officer enjoys doing that?  So, your son's luggage "tested positive for cocaine" or whatever; it could have for part of the journey sat next to bag containing cocaine, or there was some cocaine in that bag in other time & the sniff dog picked it up. 

If you think your son was treated unfairly I am sure there are ways to complain.

[meh_too]

Deadly serious - an official complaint is next

[green.fields]

Good luck with the complaint. I too have travelled to many parts of the world and let me tell you there are far worse places than Australia in regards to how a person is treated. I do understand how upsetting it was for him but they are doing their jobs and there are 3 sides to every story.

[grumpy*cat*rocks]

I'm sorry but I think you just need to calm down.

The customs person was doing their job, pure and simple. Unfortunately it was your son who was pulled over, it could have been anyone.

I'm sure he was upset, but if he had nothing to hide then just grit the teeth and get it over with.

On our return trip from the UK early last year (via a stopover in Thailand) I saw an elderly man pulled over for a customs search. It's a random thing, and perhaps the fact that his luggage tested positive was why he was flagged.

As someone else said the bag may have brushed up against another bag that did have cocaine in it, who knows what happens once luggage disappears after check in.

Addit: sorry I have read this again and realise your son underwent a cavity search. As far as I know yes you can refuse this. In which case they would do an xray I'd imagine.

I can understand a body pat down/search but not a cavity search. However, as far as I know unless they have valid reasons for suspecting concealment you can refuse this from being done.