Objects or substances, which are not only not prohibited in our latitudes, but are freely available for purchase and use, in some other countries could at best be confiscated, but at worst – their importation could be threatened with a fine, arrest, expulsion from the country and even prison, the channel reports. “National Geographic“.
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Ignorance of the law does not exempt from punishment, so before going to another country, especially AsianMiddle East, African or South America regions, it is necessary to study what is allowed and what is prohibited in them. Otherwise, the trip may end already at the local airport, where the contents of the luggage are checked.
At the suggestion of the World Customs Organization in 1983, January 26 is celebrated worldwide as International Customs Day. This day honors all customs officials and agencies that work every day to protect national borders and prevent the illegal importation of goods and other things.
Behind the scenes of the security guards’ stressful work can be seen in the program “Catch the Smuggler” on the “National Geographic” channel! On International Customs Day, “National Geographic” offers to find out what prohibitions are in force in certain countries of the world and what actually happens to those tourists who have violated them!
Supplying pain pills ends in jail time
On October 9, 2017, 33-year-old British citizen Laura Plummer was arrested at Hurghada International Airport. Customs officers, when checking her suitcase, discovered that the woman had taken 290 tablets of the painkiller tramadol with her.
She explained to the security guards that the tramadol tablets were intended for her husband, Omar Abdel-Azim, who was suffering from back pain. It should be noted that although tramadol is a legal prescription painkiller in many countries, it is prohibited for private individuals to sell it in Egypt.
Laura claimed she did not know the drug was banned in Egypt, so she did not try to hide it, and was surprised when she was arrested.
However, Plummer was charged with drug possession and attempted smuggling. After Egyptian under the harsh laws, she was threatened with imprisonment for up to 25 years or even the death penalty.
This case caused a wide resonance around the world, but it did not save Plummer from prison. The court sentenced her to three years in prison, in the notorious Kenna prison. “Islamic State” and “Muslim Brotherhood” fighters are also serving their sentence there.
Fortunately, Plamer spent only a third of her sentence behind bars – one year and one month. She was released along with nearly seven thousand other prisoners who were released early by Egypt’s president to mark the anniversary of the country’s 2011 revolution.
It should be noted that Egypt is not the only country where it is forbidden to bring tramadol in a bag. It should not be taken with you when traveling to, for example, Greece and the United Arab Emirates.
As for other substances that are prohibited to be carried in luggage, we can mention, for example, medicines containing pseudoephedrine. They are prohibited from being imported into Japan. This substance belongs to vasoconstrictors that make breathing easier. Pseudoephedrine is found in many anti-fever and anti-flu medications, such as Theraflu, Nurofen, and others. It should be noted that, if necessary, medicines containing this substance can be purchased locally.
Singapore even requires a special permit to bring in sleeping pills, anti-anxiety drugs, and strong painkillers. Also in another Asian in the country, Indonesia, it is forbidden to import sleeping pills and medications containing codeine.
In Costa Rica, it is allowed to bring only the amount of medication that is necessary during your stay there and only with a doctor’s certificate that confirms it. When traveling to China, you must also have a doctor’s certificate, which lists and substantiates the amount of medicine to take with you.
Satellite phones by special permission only
Foreigners have been banned from bringing satellite phones and messaging devices into India for many years. After it was determined that the 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai was carried out with the help of satellite phones, stricter rules were introduced for these devices.
This is explained by the fact that satellite phones bypass of India mobile phone system and it is difficult for the government to monitor or track them. However, tourists can use them if they have received a special permit from the local Ministry of Telecommunications.
The senior manager of the world’s largest oil company, Saudi Aramco, who was briefly arrested in 2022 for using this type of phone, did not have such permission. 62-year-old Oxford University graduate Fergus McLeod, who is responsible for relations with investors at the company, explained that he bought a satellite phone in 2017 due to the specifics of his work, as he often stays in regions with poor telephone connections. McLeod was released on bail and later appeared in court where he was fined.
Satellite phones are also banned or strictly regulated in China, Cuba, Bangladesh, Nigeria, North Korea, Sudan, Pakistan, Russia and elsewhere.
No camouflage style clothing and night vision binoculars
Popular Caribbean tourist destinations such as Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica and St. Lucia have strict laws against civilians wearing clothing similar to military uniforms. Clothing of this style may not be brought in luggage. It is also forbidden to wear camouflage backpacks or handbags.
Such a ban exists in countries that have experienced internal conflicts with rebel groups or terrorists and do not want civilians and tourists to be mistaken for armed combatants.
Travelers going on safari to African countries such as Zimbabwe or Zambia should be aware that military-grade equipment should also be avoided in these countries, as well as in Egypt and Cuba. For example, binoculars, especially if they have a night vision function. Such items should only be in the hands of military personnel.
Using electronic cigarettes can land you behind bars
Those who want to go on a trip to Thailand should take into account that electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes have been banned in this country since 2014. Any resident or tourist who violates this law may be arrested. The offender may be fined several times the value of the illegal item or even imprisoned for up to ten years.
Although the law banning e-cigarettes has been in force for almost ten years, foreign news headlines occasionally report another trouble for tourists.
One such case was recorded in 2019 on the island of Phuket. A woman from France was stopped by local police while riding a scooter while holding an e-cigarette as a passenger.
She hired a lawyer, went to court, where she was fined 40,000 baht (about €1,200) and ordered to leave the country. In total, the trip with the e-cigarette cost her 286 thousand baht (8,000 euros), including the costs of the lawyer and the court case.
That same year, a Pattaya court fined 30,000 baht (€850) to a sound director who worked on a concert by Dutch singer Gerard Joling in the city. The police noticed him on the street, using an e-cigarette. Joling tried to intervene to defend his employee and was briefly detained for that reason.
