US Customs - Thailand Profiling

Feds bust Wharton prof on child-porn charges
By WILL BUNCH

A top professor who had been allowed to continue teaching at the Wharton School despite a string of lurid 1990s sex allegations was busted as he returned from Brazil this weekend by immigration officers who found child porn on his laptop.

L. Scott Ward, 63, a professor emeritus at the prestigious University of Pennsylvania business school, was nabbed after the federal immigration cops said they had found DVDs of Ward engaged in oral sex and other illicit acts with young boys.

In a ripped-from-the-headlines twist, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent said that Ward, who apparently lives in University City, had been pulled from the customs line at Dulles Airport in Dulles, Va., because of his frequent trips to Thailand. That nation's sex industry has become more notorious in recent days because of the high-profile arrest of John Mark Karr, now no longer facing charges in the JonBenet Ramsey case.

Ward, a nationally known marketing expert, faced a string of sex allegations during the 1990s that ended in 1999 with Ward receiving five years' probation for soliciting sex from an undercover state trooper who posed as a 15-year-old boy.

The sentence came after Ward entered what is known as an Alford plea, similar to pleading "no contest," with no admission of guilt. Bolstered by neighbors and colleagues who testified about his character, Ward continued to maintain he was innocent and remained on the faculty at Wharton.

News of these new charges is certain to generate controversy on the Ivy League campus. Last night, Wharton spokesman Peter Winicov said the school had no official comment and he doubted "there will be any tonight... if ever."

Ward is still in federal custody in Virginia, charged with violating federal child-pornography laws. Federal authorities said he was slated to face a detention hearing this morning in Alexandria.

Ward, an international expert in marketing high-tech products, says on his resume that he also has continued to serve as a consultant to some big-name corporations, including IBM and Microsoft. A former associate professor at Harvard Business School, Ward also lists experience as a visiting professor at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand.

But it appears that one recent project - listed as "pro-bono consulting to micro-businesses in Brazil" on his resume - is tied to his newest run-in with the authorities.

ICE special agent Byron Bragg said in an affidavit that Ward arrived at Dulles, outside Washington, D.C., on a United Airlines flight from Brazil on Sunday morning and was pulled from a line at 7:25 a.m. because a Customs officer noted what Bragg called "excessive trips to Thailand... a well-known destination for people having sex with minors."

Upon further screening, a second officer found pictures of Ward posing on a beach with children, whom the professor claimed belonged to a girlfriend. When the officer found the laptop computer, Bragg said, "Ward hesitated and was reluctant to open his laptop but did so."

The second Customs officer found a video of children who appeared to be as young as age 8 engaging in sexual activity. More officers were called in and found mini-DVDs and a video recorder in Ward's luggage.

"At least 3 of the DVDs contained video of male minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct including oral sex, masturbation and the lascivious exhibition of the genitals," according to Bragg's affidavit. "The children in the video appear to be between 14 to 16 years old. Ward himself appears in all three of the mini DVD's and is engaging in sexual contact, including fellatio with the minors."

Ward was subsequently arrested, and his computer, video camera and DVDs were seized, as well as $3,126 in cash.

Ward's legal troubles started in 1993 with the state-police sting, which had been organized by detectives because of allegations that Ward - who lived in a 16-room mansion in Ardmore at the time - was paying to procure young boys from broken homes in Kensington.

That case was tried twice, before Ward agreed to probation and a $2,500 fine. While that case dragged on, a jury acquitted Ward in 1995 of allegations that he'd had oral sex with a 13-year-old Kensington street hustler in exchange for money, clothes and medical care.


www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/news/local/15386214.htm (http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/news/local/15386214.htm)

[bucknaway]

On my coming trip, I expect to be stopped by customs. They always stop me. I don't know if they think I am a smuggler, terrorist or just want to look at my dirty clothes.

I think on this trip back, I will take out my contact lenses and wear my glasses.... But then they will probably profile black American Nerds LOL

[Dboy]

I've never been bothered so far coming back (white male). Regarding the original post, its a bad/dumb/stupid idea to keep pervy pictures on your laptop. If you carry a laptop through customs , prepare for it to be examined and your hard-drive to be imaged (copied). I've noticed this happening more lately. There are easy ways to avoid getting busted for this! I'd hate for anyone here to get caught doing that crap, so if you must get data out, set up a linux machine at home running SSH (encrypted connection, like a simple VPN) and then transfer files using an internet cafe or an open wireless network...not that I approve of such things. For one step further, you can also encrypt your home machine in case it is accessed before you arrive home. For another step in paranoia you can send this data out using the Tor network so the final destination for the data (your "home" machine) will be untracable. A simpler solution would be to email the data to yourself, but that will only work until your mailbox is full, and the data would be left sitting on a mailserver somewhere unencrypted. Or put the encrypted data on a USB thumbdrive and ship it out. One other, more esoteric option is to use what's know as "alternate data streams" in the NTFS filesystem (windows) to hide the data on the drive. If you don't understand these suggestions then you are too dumb to be doing this sort of thing and will likely get caught eventually.

Dboy

[GWMinUS]

Not that I would do this myself...
But you suggestions are worthwhile.

I thought you could encrypt your files and then put them on a CD. Is this reasonble??
The ICE Guys would have to cut my tongue out to get the password!!!
I no longer carry my laptop. Exceeds my Baggage Limit on AirAsia.
So I carry a small 20-MB pocket drive. It can be password protected, but it does not do encryption.

Think emailing files to myself or using FTP would take too long.
Any other ideas.

Cheers

[Dboy]

Yes, you could burn the encrypted data to a CD, make a label that looks innocuous, with jewelcase, etc. The problem is that once a suspicion is raised then its all over. There is case law concerning obtaining crypto keys, though I don't know the current status of that debate.

You can create an encrypted file system on a thumb drive. This option: http://www.truecrypt.org/ (free) includes the ability to use AES-256 to crypt.

Another option is creating a hidden file system on an iPod (dont have one, never tried this). You'd make 2 partitions, one would be for normal storage, loaded up with mp3's or video to avoid suspicion, and the other partition would contain the sensitive data. There are lots of electronic devices out there that could be modified this way...cellphones, digital cameras.

Keep in mind that whatever method you use, an examination of a filesystem can show statistically if a data region is encrypted or not. So claiming that the data region is just "garbage" won't work. Encrypted data has too much randomness.


Dboy

On my coming trip, I expect to be stopped by customs. They always stop me. I don't know if they think I am a smuggler, terrorist or just want to look at my dirty clothes.

Try Whitening cream. If that deos not work, contact and ask Michael Jackson where he had his skin turned white.

Yes, you could burn the encrypted data to a CD, make a label that looks innocuous, with jewelcase, etc. The problem is that once a suspicion is raised then its all over. There is case law concerning obtaining crypto keys, though I don't know the current status of that debate.

Dboy

As to the best of my knowledge pornography providing it does not contain images of children (under 18 years) is permitted in most countries, it begs the question just what have you guys got to hide?

I know many a Thai lad in his twenties that to an overly zealous customs official may look awfully young and trigger a more extensive search of your luggage and electronics. No issues if one is not carrying sexually suggestive pictures, but who want or needs the delay and hassle factor?

I know many a Thai lad in his twenties that to an overly zealous customs official may look awfully young and trigger a more extensive search of your luggage and electronics. No issues if one is not carrying sexually suggestive pictures, but who want or needs the delay and hassle factor?
That is correct. Under US law, a lewd picture that even LOOKS like the subject MIGHT be underage is just as illegal as if there is proof of the subject being of age.

[Dboy]

Yes, you could burn the encrypted data to a CD, make a label that looks innocuous, with jewelcase, etc. The problem is that once a suspicion is raised then its all over. There is case law concerning obtaining crypto keys, though I don't know the current status of that debate.

Dboy

As to the best of my knowledge pornography providing it does not contain images of children (under 18 years) is permitted in most countries, it begs the question just what have you guys got to hide?


1) this is not necessarily about p0rn

2) personal privacy (crazy concept, I know)

3) these types of skills are things that the coming generations will find crucial to survival. Every seen "Johnny Mnemonic"? :-) We're living in it.


DBoy

That is another point.
If they find ANY KIND of questionable image of a guy who just MIGHT be under 18, could be fully clothed, with shirt off, in your hotel room, etc. etc. how much do you want to bet that at the very least you get your gay single male traveller name on a sex crime suspect list. Do not underestimate the sexual
HYSTERIA that is loose in the US right now, and now thanks the the crazy Karr fiasco, it is measurably worse about anything to do with THAILAND.

... have something to hide, surely? :bounce:

... have something to hide, surely? :bounce:
Idiot! Guilty of what? Liking 20 year olds? You don't get it.

[Dboy]

^-- alot of people just plain don't understand this concept. I think it stems from the false assumption that the "authorities" are always right. Seems to me that any international traveller should know better than that. Governments are not your friend! They use threats, propaganda, manipulation, and violence to control populations. Are you guys really as naive as it seems? One day they don't like Buck'n because he's black (threat to the gene pool of the master race no doubt), next they don't like gays, because they will not be producing good christian offspring and future cannon-fodder, they don't like the poor because they are not useful as consumers... and it never ends. Governments are criminal by their very nature. It would be wise to pay attention to that.

Dboy

treat these petty government officials as the infuriating fuckwits that they are : ie be as polite as you can and don't upset them. They aren't looking after your best interests..if they were they would helped prevent the awful tragedies that have befallen us over the past few years.. they are just nosey parkers, biased and dumb, sexist racists so don't bring your damned laptop..leave it home and use an internet cafe at which you will meet scores of lovely Thai lads as they write to farangs arond the world about sick buffaloes.

[Aunty]

treat these petty government officials as the infuriating fuckwits that they are : ie be as polite as you can and don't upset them. They aren't looking after your best interests..if they were they would helped prevent the awful tragedies that have befallen us over the past few years.. they are just nosey parkers, biased and dumb, sexist racists so don't bring your damned laptop..leave it home and use an internet cafe at which you will meet scores of lovely Thai lads as they write to farangs arond the world about sick buffaloes.

I completely agree with Pearl. I don't understand why anybody would want to bring a laptop with them while they are on holiday. And maybe immigration and custom officials don't too!

I completely agree with Pearl. I don't understand why anybody would want to bring a laptop with them while they are on holiday. And maybe immigration and custom officials don't too![/quote]


To keep up your G-rated blog for friends and relatives back home.
So they can enjoy (or be bored by) your travels.

[Aunty]

I completely agree with Pearl. I don't understand why anybody would want to bring a laptop with them while they are on holiday. And maybe immigration and custom officials don't too!


To keep up your G-rated blog for friends and relatives back home.
So they can enjoy (or be bored by) your travels.

Is it really worth the effort? I mean you could do an update when you get back home, or even, use an internet cafe/hotel connection while you're o'seas to do the update. No need to take a computer with you, right?

Lots of good reasons to travel with a laptop on holiday. My laptop holds my music, lots of holiday and business pictures, my journal, business records, etc. Having it with me helps avoid using internet cafes.

I take lots of pictures while on holiday and the laptop lets me store, process, and catalog my shots while the BF gets his beauty sleep. I am to the point where sleeping 24 hr will not help my beauty.

On one occasion a crisis with the business arose when I was out of the office on holiday. I was able to address it with my staff because I had the appropriate documents and data with me on the laptop and was able to send several emails that sorted things out and let me stay on holiday.

So, at the end of the day, my laptop on holiday with me is a big plus.

So far no problems with US Customs, but maybe there could be because my passport shows frequent visits to Thailand. Not that customs would find anything beyond pretty vanilla photos.

Anyway, to each his own.

[bao-bao]

There are several reasons to bring a laptop along on vacations.

1) Transferring pictures off of the camera (and if you don't TAKE indecent pictures, there's nothing to worry about).
2) Watching DVDs yourself or sharing with a friend.
3) Using it as a "jukebox" to listen to MP3s, or CDs you bring or buy there. I got a patch cord at Pantip for 20Bt that allowed me to play music through the TV in my room and increase the sound quality.
4) Keeping a journal. I can type a hell of a lot faster than I can write legibly.
5) Storing travel information, reference maps and notes, etc. I also tend to bring a copy of important travel files on CD as a back-up plan.
6) Bringing downloaded e-books (not my style, but some swear by them)
7) Bringing photos or items to share with friends at your destination.

Being a writer (despite my clumsy posts here as alleged proof to the contrary) I'd be lost if I didn't have mine along. I don't bring a large laptop with me, so it fits into the room safe when there's one available.

I don't like that bit about "If you're not doing anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about" - I think that's living in a fool's world - but have to agree that not calling attention to ourselves when traveling just as common sense.

I completely agree with Pearl. I don't understand why anybody would want to bring a laptop with them while they are on holiday. And maybe immigration and custom officials don't too!


Most of them are poseurs - it makes them feel important when they carry a laptop around an airport etc and even more so when they open the laptop up inside the airport, pretending to work whilst waiting for their plane. (It was the same when the first brick sized mobile phones became available !!).

If they are that important that they must be in touch with their office or work perhaps they should fore-go holidays entirely (no-one is indispensable even the head or owner of a company - if you cannot delegate perhaps you are not as an astute businessman as you think you are).

As for those who use them "for entertainment" surely there is more than enough "entertainment" in Thailand without the need for their music, ebook or DVDs etc etc - again just a posing accessory!

[bao-bao]

Lady Davina is certainly entitled to her opinion, but I think she's painting with a pretty broad brush here. Perhaps she's done an informal survey of laptop carriers and knows what she's stating to be facts... but I kind of doubt it. People carry laptops for all sorts of reason, good Lady. It's not so much "posing" as it is personal preference, I'd wager.

I do have to agree about the cell phones, past AND present, but people babbling on cell phones invade everyone's space -- I think you're right on the money there -- someone working, viewing or playing on a laptop does not.

I don't drink, I don't smoke and I keep relatively early hours so the bars and gogo clubs don't really hold much interest for me. I certainly don't have any criticisms for those who come to Thailand for the Night Life, but it's not what draws me to the Land of Smiles. A shared movie in after a long evening stroll is also entertainment, you know. I hope we can agree to disagree here! :8(

Given the choice between forgoing a vacation or taking a laptop along I think most would choose to take the machine with them, but this thread is already a country mile off topic, so I'll hush up. Wouldn't want to wake the trolls!!

I have been reading this subject with interest.

I live in the UK and get stopped and searched on my return journey more often than I would like. I never carry a camera, laptop, iPod or anything similar. Before I begin a trip I make copies of places to visit, boys I want to contact, go go bars etc from my computer at home and then when its time to return home, destroy them so I do not have them with me when I go through customs. I also get rid of unused condoms and lube. In fact anything that could define me as a sex tourist or gay. I stay in an ordinary hotel so no problem from that quarter either. Am I paranoid?

I go to Australia a lot and try to go via Bangkok whenever possible. I also like to have a short break in Thailand each year. As a consequence my passport is full of Thailand stamps. A quick check would show that most are journey breaks of a day or two en route to Australia but customs are not interested in these finer details.

In February I went to Australia and had a break in Thailand on the way back. I used a provincial airport (Southampton as I got a good deal with Air France) and on landing was the only one singled out from a full aircraft for a customs check. He paid great attention to my passport and wrote a fair amount in his notebook. Everything was taken out of the suitcase and briefcase and checked. There was nothing for me to worry about so I just left him get on with it. If you try to engage in conversation or give explanations they not only look at you with suspicion, they get paranoid and believe you have something to hide and they have to find it. Just stand back, keep a bland face and enjoy the proceedings. And the frustrated look on their faces when they canтАЩt find anything.

As I expect to make many more trips to Thailand and have my passport stamped on each occasion I will make sure I do not carry a laptop, camera, iPod etc with me and will be squeaky clean when I get stopped on my return.

It is true that carrying condoms and lube is considered evidence of sex tourism by US customs.

It is as facinating as ever that the authorities seek to profile tourists according to preconceptions, but shy away from profiling travellers generally for security searches for potential terrorists - on the basis that that would be discriminatory

[Dboy]

Carrying a laptop on trips is not something you do to impress people. It's generally a big pain in the ass. When you see people in airports working on their laptops, it's generally because they are busy people.

To add a few things to what ahobi suggested (good points), be careful of the reading material you choose (747 flight manuals are probably not a wise choice for reading on a plane), and try not to wear shirts with text on them (corporate logo shirts however probably make you look less suspicious..get the pro-establishment vibe going).

Thaiquila- if I'm returning to the US and I still have lube and condoms left..I'd consider that *unsuccessful* sex tourism. Seriously though, that is a really good point. Will take care of that issue.

Dboy

Lady Davina is certainly entitled to her opinion, but I think she's painting with a pretty broad brush here. ....................... I hope we can agree to disagree here!

Sure we agree to disagree - everyone to his own opinion especially on a subject like this. I defer to you in that you are NOT one of the poseurs !!!!!!! H.A.N.D

If you are singled out for a search, they do indeed have a good look at your READING MATERIALS.

[Brad the Impala]

If you are singled out for a search, they do indeed have a good look at your READING MATERIALS.

Yes indeed, one must be so careful not to arouse suspicion. You must be very careful also in your choice of reading material, in case it could be thought to be a bit gay(pedophile) or liberal(communist) or non christian(terrorist) or ................oh fuck it perhaps it's safer not to carry books at all as you might be thought to be a (shock horror) intellectual(revolutionary).

last time when i was stopped (as was everybody from asian flights) it was supposed to be in connection with the bird flu scare,. But i noticed he still flicked quickly through my phot albums and had a close look at some DVD`s.

Im glad they didnt have a connection for what was in my USB watch lol - all legal but a bit embarrassing!

If you are singled out for a search, they do indeed have a good look at your READING MATERIALS.

Yes indeed, one must be so careful not to arouse suspicion. You must be very careful also in your choice of reading material, in case it could be thought to be a bit gay(pedophile) or liberal(communist) or non christian(terrorist) or ................oh fuck it perhaps it's safer not to carry books at all as you might be thought to be a (shock horror intellectual(revolutionary).
Lets face it, to those goons, reading anything other than a Sports Illustrated or Playboy makes you a pinko.

[Aunty]

When I fly into America I'm always very particular with my reading material. I don't want to arouse any suspicions whatsoever.

Therefore I always pack a very expensive leather bound copy of the Holy Bible, neatly wrapped up in a Hermes scarf and slipped into a nice piece of Vuiton. A copy of Lilly-Bing Broughton's Christian Living: Wholesome Recipes and Life Affirming Prayers for the Whole Family. And my favourite and the real clincher, my paper back copy and it's the first thing the custom officer will see. What would Jesus Bake?

[Dboy]

Of course you can use all the suggestions in this thread to make yourself appear to have a certain profile, one that would create indifference.

DBoy

[bucknaway]

When I was stopped they had a look at my "Men of Thailand" books, my condoms and lube, the photo's of guys I was to meet on the Internet, Thai-Guy's magazine, Gay maps and notes from guys I had met.

I hope they don't think I was a sex tourist.

When they asked me why I go to Thailand, I told them it is a cheap vacation and I can meet guys from all over the world there. I hope they don't take that the wrong way!

But the jerk did take the DVD's I bought in Silom. No, not the sex CD's. I still have those.

[bucknaway]

Oh, on the subject of laptops.... Who cares what anyone thinks about why you like your life the way you live your life? You feel comfortable enough to bring your laptop then bring it. That is why they make them so light and portable.

If you don't like to bring your laptop then leave it home. But when you have a problem with others enjoying their life and bringing their laptop when on vacation then the problem is not theirs, it is yours....

The world is catering to the laptop/PDA/Ipod/electronics users. There are people who are making millions and BILLIONS because they do understand the want and need for using these devices when at home or far away from home.... Billions I tell ya!

When I was stopped they had a look at my "Men of Thailand" books, my condoms and lube, the photo's of guys I was to meet on the Internet, Thai-Guy's magazine, Gay maps and notes from guys I had met.

I hope they don't think I was a sex tourist.

When they asked me why I go to Thailand, I told them it is a cheap vacation and I can meet guys from all over the world there. I hope they don't take that the wrong way!

But the jerk did take the DVD's I bought in Silom. No, not the sex CD's. I still have those.
Oy vey, dude, you ARE a sex tourist! Of course, they thought that. The question is did they think you were a pedo.

The world is catering to the laptop/PDA/Ipod/electronics users. There are people who are making millions and BILLIONS because they do understand the want and need for using these devices when at home or far away from home.... Billions I tell ya!And if Young Master Cedric is to be believed, they're all in China

[bucknaway]

Life is too short to worry how I am profiled. Besides, the way he looked at me... I think he was wondering if I was single and if he was my type, but I could be wrong :)



Oy vey, dude, you ARE a sex tourist! Of course, they thought that. The question is did they think you were a pedo.

Life is too short to worry how I am profiled. Besides, the way he looked at me... I think he was wondering if I was single and if he was my type, but I could be wrong :)



Oy vey, dude, you ARE a sex tourist! Of course, they thought that. The question is did they think you were a pedo.
Well, if they are after your ass, you are very EZ to ID! There are cases where after people travel to Thailand, then the feds go into their houses and search their home. They would likely need other grounds such as suspicious emails. But how do you think they get the names of people to spy on?

[bucknaway]

For me it would be no worry. They could search my home now and they will find that I am a kinky gay guy that can't seem to maintain a lasting relationship anymore.

I don't fear things I can't control. I don't cry over things I can't change. Each day is an adventure for me until the day it all fades to black and they put me in the ground.

If I am ever jailed.. when I am not having sex, creating a shank or moping the floor, I will be on the library computer and posting here. :)

I don't smoke, don't do drugs, I don't steal and I don't play with kids. If there is a crime for being a stick-in-the-mud.... Then I am in trouble....

You said it.

For me it would be no worry. They could search my home now and they will find that I am a kinky gay guy that can't seem to maintain a lasting relationship anymore.

I don't fear things I can't control. I don't cry over things I can't change. Each day is an adventure for me until the day it all fades to black and they put me in the ground.

If I am ever jailed.. when I am not having sex, creating a shank or moping the floor, I will be on the library computer and posting here. :)

I don't smoke, don't do drugs, I don't steal and I don't play with kids. If there is a crime for being a stick-in-the-mud.... Then I am in trouble....

I want to marry you!

they asked me why I was reading a Noam Chomsky book..I actually hadn't read it at that stage but I was furious and about tell him to fuck off although I was amazed he had the intelligence to even know of him..but I said I like to know what these liberals are up to !!..

they also took away my mobile phone plus my Thai sim card and examined them minutely and went thru everything in minute detail..I said if they were going to do a an internal examination could I choose the officer which got a laugh and they sent me packing..

ahobni..if you are going to Australia and don't have suitcases full of female underwear, party frocks and ballgowns they will be very suspicious as most men there wear them when they go out at night..especially Greek truckdrivers..but it's a problem going back home of course. Perhaps you could say you were a dress designer or something. :faroah:

[Dboy]

Wow, I'm almost impressed. Can't imagine the goons have ever READ Chomsky (or any other author), so it must have come from their text material training. Looking at things like reading material, records of Google searches, email content, web postings, etc. are the next best thing to mind probes. And population statistics of the same types of raw data can be used to judge the effectiveness of propaganda campaigns, and help governments identify intellectual unrest in geographic regions. I have worked on software projects in this area, so this isn't just theory.

Glad you're reading Chomsky.



Dboy - proud to be a thoughtcriminal

wonder how many copies of the "Kings" new book they have seized?

[Beachlover]

Geez! I'm shocked how often and how thoroughly some of you guys in US get searched. And I can't believe they would copy your laptop hard drive etc.

In Australia we have one of the strictest customs in the world ($10k+ fines for bringing in illegal items)... I've gone through customs (almost always alone) several times a year for the last few years and almost never get searched. The deepest search I've ever had is one officer lifting up a few bits and pieces. I've certainly never had anyone unpack my bags etc.

I've been told I have an honest looking face... but still... hearing about some of these US searches is ridiculous. A lot of people tell me they don't bother holidaying in the US and avoid it as much as possible because of the hassles of entry.

I don't carry around bags of porn and lube... but I always have a few condoms in the wallet and toiletries bag, as any well-prepared guy should.

wonder how many copies of the "Kings" new book they have seized?

Close to zero, I'd guess.

[Wesley]

I can magine why this came back up again cionsidering who brought it back to the top of the sting of threads. My lap top has a new drive as clean as a whistle in which it ill stay. IF there is any thing I think questionalble it will be shipped ahead.


Wes

[Lunchtime O'Booze]

can someone explain how a very old thread like this gets reserected?

as for Customs-I'm stopped every single time..(what an outrageos statement.."Customs officer noted what Bragg called "excessive trips to Thailand... a well-known destination for people having sex with minors." ..this from a brain dead bozo..( sorry my American friedns but US customs and Immigration can be the thickest in the world)

They go through everything I have including mobile phone sim cards..the lot. After the first time when they took my notebook away and I presume copied the contents-I never carry such personal information anymore. I've had my credit cards and ATM cards taken and copied..I now buy special Visa cards for a trip-to be discarded after that trip...bascially I carry no personal information on me..which doesn't stop them asking questions butmy stock answer always is.."none of your business"

I have all information I need kept on a website only accessible by me and just whip into an internet shop and call it up.

also remember..you can take photos on digital cameras but deleting the images doesn't mean they cannot be re-called.

[Smiles]

" ... can someone explain how a very old thread like this gets reserected?
... "
Simple. When you post a reply to the end of any topic, then that topic automatically goes straight to the top of the 1st page of threads no matter if it is 5 minutes old, or 5 years.

The harder part of it is finding the original thread in the first place when it's so old. BeachBlanket must of been doing some serious searching to stumble across it.

Cheers ...

[Beachlover]

can someone explain how a very old thread like this gets reserected?

as for Customs-I'm stopped every single time..(what an outrageos statement.."Customs officer noted what Bragg called "excessive trips to Thailand... a well-known destination for people having sex with minors." ..this from a brain dead bozo..( sorry my American friedns but US customs and Immigration can be the thickest in the world)

They go through everything I have including mobile phone sim cards..the lot. After the first time when they took my notebook away and I presume copied the contents-I never carry such personal information anymore. I've had my credit cards and ATM cards taken and copied..I now buy special Visa cards for a trip-to be discarded after that trip...bascially I carry no personal information on me..which doesn't stop them asking questions butmy stock answer always is.."none of your business"

I have all information I need kept on a website only accessible by me and just whip into an internet shop and call it up.

also remember..you can take photos on digital cameras but deleting the images doesn't mean they cannot be re-called.

Wow... I can't believe this is still happening!

That is pretty accusatory what the customs guy said. I'd be offended if someone said that in front of me.

And surely, making copies of all that data must be a breach of privacy on some level! Write to your local civil rights organisation or something (there's always people who find the time to campaign against this sort of thing).

You have some pretty nifty ways of staying clean of personal info...

Hehe... I wonder what their response to "that's none of your business" is... some judgemental Americans don't seem to like this as an answer.

Nude photography of adults is legal in the UK & alongside every photo on my camera is a photo of the ID card as evidence of his age. So I'm not bothered if they stop me or not.

Am not so sure about the legal position for nude pics in some Asian countries. Anyone ever had a problem with contents on a camera in this part of the world?
I figure SD cards could be concealed quite well if necessary.

[Dodger]

Aunty Stated...


When I fly into America I'm always very particular with my reading material. I don't want to arouse any suspicions whatsoever.

Therefore I always pack a very expensive leather bound copy of the Holy Bible

Aunty,

I think you'd be better off carrying a Spiderman comic book, as the Holy Bible may cast an image that you're somehow connected to the Catholic Priesthood.

I was once asked a few questions about a framed and enlarged photo I had of my BF Su. When the custom agent asked me how old SHE was, I told him that HE was 22. After a brief pause, he asked me if his breasts were implants - or the result of inducing hormones. I told him it was none of his business. He intentionally delayed me evan longer for my blunt response by digging deeper through my luggage at a diliberately slow pace, although, just nodded and let me past when he was finished.

[dab69]

Geez! I'm shocked how often and how thoroughly some of you guys in US get searched. And I can't believe they would copy your laptop hard drive etc.

In Australia we have one of the strictest customs in the world ($10k+ fines for bringing in illegal items)... I've gone through customs (almost always alone) several times a year for the last few years and almost never get searched. The deepest search I've ever had is one officer lifting up a few bits and pieces. I've certainly never had anyone unpack my bags etc.

I've been told I have an honest looking face... but still... hearing about some of these US searches is ridiculous. A lot of people tell me they don't bother holidaying in the US and avoid it as much as possible because of the hassles of entry.

I don't carry around bags of porn and lube... but I always have a few condoms in the wallet and toiletries bag, as any well-prepared guy should.

maybe for you a body search would take WAY too long,
considering all the fried ice cream you eat while digging up antique posts

[Beachlover]

Geez! I'm shocked how often and how thoroughly some of you guys in US get searched. And I can't believe they would copy your laptop hard drive etc.

In Australia we have one of the strictest customs in the world ($10k+ fines for bringing in illegal items)... I've gone through customs (almost always alone) several times a year for the last few years and almost never get searched. The deepest search I've ever had is one officer lifting up a few bits and pieces. I've certainly never had anyone unpack my bags etc.

I've been told I have an honest looking face... but still... hearing about some of these US searches is ridiculous. A lot of people tell me they don't bother holidaying in the US and avoid it as much as possible because of the hassles of entry.

I don't carry around bags of porn and lube... but I always have a few condoms in the wallet and toiletries bag, as any well-prepared guy should.

maybe for you a body search would take WAY too long,
considering all the fried ice cream you eat while digging up antique posts

I am as fit as a fiddle

[Beachlover]

Aunty Stated...


When I fly into America I'm always very particular with my reading material. I don't want to arouse any suspicions whatsoever.

Therefore I always pack a very expensive leather bound copy of the Holy Bible

Aunty,

I think you'd be better off carrying a Spiderman comic book, as the Holy Bible may cast an image that you're somehow connected to the Catholic Priesthood.

I was once asked a few questions about a framed and enlarged photo I had of my BF Su. When the custom agent asked me how old SHE was, I told him that HE was 22. After a brief pause, he asked me if his breasts were implants - or the result of inducing hormones. I told him it was none of his business. He intentionally delayed me evan longer for my blunt response by digging deeper through my luggage at a diliberately slow pace, although, just nodded and let me past when he was finished.


I think they enjoy delving into other people's private lives... relieves the boredam of their job... and some of them enjoy abusing a little of their power somtimes. Accountants and lawyers get to delve into other people's lives as well, but they have enough brains to be tactful about it... or they are occupied enough not to care.

[Lunchtime O'Booze]

can someone explain how a very old thread like this gets reserected?

I have all information I need kept on a website only accessible by me and just whip into an internet shop and call it up.

also remember..you can take photos on digital cameras but deleting the images doesn't mean they cannot be re-called.

Wow... I can't believe this is still happening!

That is pretty accusatory what the customs guy said. I'd be offended if someone said that in front of me.

And surely, making copies of all that data must be a breach of privacy on some level! Write to your local civil rights organisation or something (there's always people who find the time to campaign against this sort of thing).

You have some pretty nifty ways of staying clean of personal info...

Hehe... I wonder what their response to "that's none of your business" is... some judgemental Americans don't seem to like this as an answer.

actually I've stopped doing that as it just led to more questions..much better to be polite and give them a non commital answer.

After my last visit I was stopped for the first time at LAX. The guys were polite and looked through alot of dirty clothes, ask for my camera and seemed disapointed that it was empty...all had been downloaded to the computer. I told them the computer was my picture album, and there were over 10,000 pics, and said "Be my guest." Thanks heavens they didn't bother; I wasn't concerned about the picture content. I was concerned because when they copy your computer they copy bank information, passwords, and everything else that is on the computer. My solution is to take my old laptop and leave it at the home in Thailand. I'll be flying to Thailand in two weeks for a month, and when I return to America I will be carrying nothing but a few dirty clothes and an empty camera...no card...it will have been mailed DHL. It is very sad that America's homeland security has become Bush's morality police.

Despite my passport being filled with Thai immigration stamps, I have only had my luggage searched by Australian Customs once. That was when I arrived home with my small but very handsome, very Thai boy-next-door BS for a couple of weeks' holiday (rained every single day for fifteen days). Our bags were searched meticulously by a strapping thirty-something bloke and two pretty girls who were friendly and courteous. They re-packed the bags when they were finished. As we were bidding each other farewell with pleasantries about an enjoyable stay, the bloke said to me sotto voce "Would you mind telling me where you met him?"[/i]

[Beachlover]

Silom Farang at Gay Boy Thailand blog has done a funny post on this... http://gayboythailand.com/bangkok-thail ... d-customs/ (http://gayboythailand.com/bangkok-thailand/getting-through-farangland-customs/)



(Did I already post this before?... Can't remember... but I can't see it)

[Beachlover]

Despite my passport being filled with Thai immigration stamps, I have only had my luggage searched by Australian Customs once. That was when I arrived home with my small but very handsome, very Thai boy-next-door BS for a couple of weeks' holiday (rained every single day for fifteen days). Our bags were searched meticulously by a strapping thirty-something bloke and two pretty girls who were friendly and courteous. They re-packed the bags when they were finished. As we were bidding each other farewell with pleasantries about an enjoyable stay, the bloke said to me sotto voce "Would you mind telling me where you met him?"[/i]

Haha... now what does "sotto voce" mean???

Did he ask where you met him in accusing terms... or in terms of "tell me where so I know where to go!"

"With lowered voice." I'm pretty sure it was the latter, but I could be having myself on about that. It was just a very strange question for a customs officer to be asking and a strange way of asking it: it's the sort of question Immigration might ask. Anyway, they were all very nice and made a very reassuring impression on the bs and I would like to think he was asking for directions. (I didn't tell him.)

Plenty of queens in immigration and customs; I have been asked similar questions in other places, in the nicest way.
Was that when you volunteered for the body cavity search?

[Beachlover]

"With lowered voice." I'm pretty sure it was the latter, but I could be having myself on about that. It was just a very strange question for a customs officer to be asking and a strange way of asking it: it's the sort of question Immigration might ask. Anyway, they were all very nice and made a very reassuring impression on the bs and I would like to think he was asking for directions. (I didn't tell him.)

Hehe... he must've been bowled over with the beauty of the boy...and desperate to know where there were more like him.... boy must've been cute and likeable.

A Canadian bridge border agent, upon hearing one of my answers, asked me about the Chinese pipeline plans for the Athabasca tar sands. I told him what I thought but I had no idea whether it was just a friendly question or an attempt at catching me in a lie. Anyway, it could be anything, nothing to worry or BITCH about.

[Lunchtime O'Booze]

Despite my passport being filled with Thai immigration stamps, I have only had my luggage searched by Australian Customs once. That was when I arrived home with my small but very handsome, very Thai boy-next-door BS for a couple of weeks' holiday (rained every single day for fifteen days). Our bags were searched meticulously by a strapping thirty-something bloke and two pretty girls who were friendly and courteous. They re-packed the bags when they were finished. As we were bidding each other farewell with pleasantries about an enjoyable stay, the bloke said to me sotto voce "Would you mind telling me where you met him?"[/i]

I've had a similar thing where customs have taken away all my cards-credit cards, licence, buisness cards etc..I said "what are you doing with them ?:..the reply was pretty curt.."this is a restricted customs and we can blah blah blah"..I replied "that means I have to cancel every credit card and atm card and get new ones issued"..they said "why"..I replied "because there is no way in the world I would ever trust anyone-most particular customs with my bank details and how outrageous for you to even think I would !"

the long shot is I wrote to the head of customs demanding an apology and including various press clippings of crooked customs officers and baggage handlers..I got a nice reply apolgizing and saying it wouldn't happen again. It did 6 months later.

where customs have taken away all my cards-credit cards, licence, buisness cards etc..I said "what are you doing with them ?:..

And then they went INTO the back room, left the door ajar a bit, and let you watch as they made believe that they were punching the numbers into a computer, you fell for it and admitted you made a lie? Anyone stupid enough for that deservees it.

This is one of the most informative and funny threads I have read. Thanks for resurrecting it.

I hate going through Sydney airport, even in transit I have been seized upon by gestapo like wimmin who are 'just doing our job'.
I now try to avoid Australia all together.

The advice about the sort of reading material one has etc is interesting to read. I have taken my laptop with me previously because it just makes it easier to keep the rest of my life going, and it's a tool that often allows me to help others. I don't like the idea of them having access to my life through email addresses etc.

I know an Ozzie guy from Victoria who was charged with 'possession of child porn' in which the boys were legally allowed to be in porn but, being Thai, were young looking.

I have relatives in the US, but I haven't lived there for 12 years, so I fly back every once in a while to visit. I get searched and questioned every time I pass through there, with these customs officials giving me suspicious glances while they search through my stuff.

I no longer take any electronic good with me, even my iPod, which they took for almost an hour before returning it to me - obviously looking for data hidden on there somewhere. What pisses me off is some dick with a triple-digit income and a double-digit IQ is standing there and judging me.

The USA - Defenders of Freedom... yeah, right!

[Lunchtime O'Booze]

where customs have taken away all my cards-credit cards, licence, buisness cards etc..I said "what are you doing with them ?:..

And then they went INTO the back room, left the door ajar a bit, and let you watch as they made believe that they were punching the numbers into a computer, you fell for it and admitted you made a lie? Anyone stupid enough for that deservees it.

well I do admire your ability to extend the facts darling but I can't remember a "back room' and I didn't see if they "were punching the numbers into a computer"..as for "you fell for it and admitted you made a lie? "..Im not too sure what I fell for (?) and I don't know what the "lie" is that I made (??).. I only report incidents as they happen.

What exactly is that you are saying ?..that this incident didn't happen ?..or that it didn't happen as I say ?..please explain !

( or are you a customs officer ??)

.. all my credit cards ...You and I are martyrs to the same problem, I fear - not everywhere accepts our Platinum American Express charge card, and so we must carry two or three credit cards to satisfy the little people

I guess I have to get my say into this customs bull shit. I am from the US and have traveled all over the world. The only time I get checked in customs is when I come from Thailand. But I like to have fun at the customs check point so I give them anwsers that they do not want to hear. Like what were you in Thailand for. I anwser a short period of time. Why have you made so many trips to Thailand. Anwser to see Thailand. Than add it is one of the few places in the World that they do not hate our collective asses. So when the start to check my bags they ask, anything we should know about my anwser is just all my dirty laundry and what is on my coustoms list.Than while seraching my bags I ask, if tell me what you are looking for I will be more than happy to show you where it is. By than the are starting to get pissed off and just shut everthing up a send me on my way. I guess if you wnat them to stop the serrch just buring your used comdoms back and put them on the top of your luggege. That way the know why your in Thailand. Its none of there God Damn Business. The reason I like to push them is I have nothing to do for four hours before my connecting flight. Always want to know how far I can go. Just so you know I would not try this in a third world country as I do not want to be put in jail. By the way if it is legal in the US such as books and lap tops they have to have a good reason to search them. At least for citizens. Sorry the pricks are giving us a bad name but keep in mind we want to keep out all the undesireables like me and all my frineds. By the way if they take something ask to see the law under which they are taking your stuff and or ask to see a supervisor. I will say this I would NEVER have anything questionable such as child pron in my possession. However I do bring a lot of gifts back from Thailand and knock offs are not legal in this contry such as DVD's
CD's. I bring them back all the time and they have never taken them but like I say lI declare them. Also just so you know US citizens do not go through the same checks you do su just keep a stiff uppler lip.

Spell check not working so please no comments.

[Lunchtime O'Booze]

.. all my credit cards ...You and I are martyrs to the same problem, I fear - not everywhere accepts our Platinum American Express charge card, and so we must carry two or three credit cards to satisfy the little people

Platinum ?..nothing so crass..I only have the pure black like Prince Frederick of Denmark.

This can cause unforseen circumstances. A Tasmanian lass spotted his in a Sydney pub and next thing he was down the aisle and she's well on the way to becoming Queen of Denmark.

It does however mean you can virtually buy anything so I did offer to buy the airport during one of my set does at customs. It worked-they frogmarched me even faster than usual out of the building .

[alittlebi-old]

By the way if it is legal in the US such as books and lap tops they have to have a good reason to search them. At least for citizens.

WOW. I don't know where you got this from -- but it is SO incorrect.

"Ninth Circuit Court Decides that US Customs and Border Patrol Agents Can Search & Seize Electronic Equipment Without Cause" -- from 2006! And there are other cases before the court that are headed for the same result. In effect, the US Border is a "no-privacy zone".

Do a search on GOOGLE for "customs" and "laptop".

NOTHING is offlimits.
http://www.customs.gov/linkhandler/cgov ... hority.pdf (http://www.customs.gov/linkhandler/cgov/travel/admissability/search_authority.ctt/search_authority.pdf)

NOTHING is offlimits.If you do a Search in the Global Forum you will find I started a thread on this very topic; alittlebi is absolutely correct