Detained over a couple rounds of ammo

[Travis Hobbs]

This is really pretty wild. 5 Americans now being held facing 12 years for accidentally having ammunition in their luggage.

https://apnews.com/article/turks-am...icans-prison-113499916a92803368d70264b8397c83



I have traveled there with my wife. I know I have found random rounds of ammunition in my bags multiple times. I’m going to be much more careful.

I cannot imagine boarding a plane to return home and being detained for months over a few rounds of ammunition.

 

[LostArra]

Rinella podcast interviewed the first two being held. It's obviously a well organized shakedown from the police to the judge to the cab driver.

They are only arrested on EXIT from the country after you've spent money there? Cab drivers and business owners putting up a surety bond? This sounds like a travel version of the Nigerian prince email sending you a fortune. The State dept should just shut down all American travel there until everyone is released.

 

[Reburn]

This is really pretty wild. 5 Americans now being held facing 12 years for accidentally having ammunition in their luggage.

https://apnews.com/article/turks-am...icans-prison-113499916a92803368d70264b8397c83

View attachment 713538

I have traveled there with my wife. I know I have found random rounds of ammunition in my bags multiple times. I’m going to be much more careful.

I cannot imagine boarding a plane to return home and being detained for months over a few rounds of ammunition.

You learn to be very careful when your travel internationally. My brother damn near got a cavity search in Argentina due to having a single shotgun shell in his checked suitcase.

 

[MattB]

Visit other countries, abide by their rules. Or don't, at your folly.

 

[LostArra]

Visit other countries, abide by their rules. Or don't, at your folly.

Excellent point.
No ammo, no hassle.

 

[Travis Hobbs]

Rinella podcast interviewed the first two being held. It's obviously a well organized shakedown from the police to the judge to the cab driver.

They are only arrested on EXIT from the country after you've spent money there? Cab drivers and business owners putting up a surety bond? This sounds like a travel version of the Nigerian prince email sending you a fortune. The State dept should just shut down all American travel there until everyone is released.

I’ll check that podcast out! I read they were hunters and I really haven’t seen a lot of information…

 

[Travis Hobbs]

Visit other countries, abide by their rules. Or don't, at your folly.

I think that’s a great point, but until a few months ago it was a small infraction with a minimal fine.

It’s a British territory, and never been an issue until now.

It’s just damn easy to miss a round of ammo in a travel bag and my point of this was to let other guys like myself know, triple check your bags!

 

[eddielasvegas]

I've been to Provo a number of times but that was decades ago. It has great beaches, snorkeling and Conch fritters.

Why would anyone want to visit a shitehole 3rd world country that does not have our great Constitution to protect us?

Over the past few years, my take is somewhere outside the USA better have something I absolutely need or want for me to leave the USA for that reason alone.


Eddie

 

[Ucsdryder]

I've been to Provo a number of times but that was decades ago. It has great beaches, snorkeling and Conch fritters.

Why would anyone want to visit a shitehole 3rd world country that does not have our great Constitution to protect us?

Over the past few years, my take is somewhere outside the USA better have something I absolutely need or want for me to leave the USA for that reason alone.


Eddie

This…

For whatever grievances people have, we live in the best place in the history of the world. I’ll do Europe, but I’m out on almost all other places. You couldn’t give me a free trip to Mexico, any place in Africa, or any other 3rd world country.

We almost found our way to a Mexican jail 20 years ago when Mexico was “safe” due to a shakedown. Apparently my buddiys truck was too nice. Luckily we were poor college students and the cops decided we weren’t going to come up with money, regardless of the threats.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

I did not read the story, but how the hell did they get by TSA???

 

[IDVortex]

Heck, my wife stresses out when we cross the boarder to go see the folks north of us that I've learned to make sure everything is clean before we travel.

 

[7mm-08]

Fair question - what makes this plight any different than any other U.S. citizen traveling to whatever country with contraband (yes, other sovereign nations get to define what contraband may be in their country) in their possession? I'm no fan of the WNBA or Brittney Griner, but I had the same reaction to her arrest by Russia. Get your head out of your butt and understand that you are the subject of another country's laws when you make the decision to travel internationally. I saw no indication they were kidnapped and ghosted across international borders. Sorry for the rant - carry on.

 

[LongWayAround]

I did not read the story, but how the hell did they get by TSA???

I thought the same when I read that one of the five recent detainees had twenty rounds. I'm assuming that it was a full box. How did he miss that in his bag and get through security?

I can see how one might miss a few loose cartridges, but I also am surprised that people wouldn't check diligently before going to a foreign country.

 

[MattB]

I did not read the story, but how the hell did they get by TSA???

I once flew with a 50 round box of .25 ACP in my carry-on to Vegas, and TSA didn’t figure it out until I was on my way home. That was when I decided I needed a dedicated range bag, as that could have turned out badly for me.

 

[sbaker0029]

I'm with gsphunter and longwayaround, I find it baffling how the ammo made it through TSA in the first place and how someone would not thoroughly empty their bag before a trip to a foreign country.

I also get vibes of dirty government in Turks and Caicos.

I feel for these guys and their families but negligence on there part and the tsa has put them in a bad situation.

I've been pulled to the side once internationally, in Amsterdam coming back to USA. It was a terrifying experience to be escorted to the side by armed security in a foreign country. It was a connection and never stepped foot out of the airport.
Guess I just looked suspicious and got a very thorough pat down and bag search.
Girl I was with at the time was panicking because we were holding up the plane from taking off. One of the guards deadass told her "we tell the airline when they can fly"

Biggest takeaway: Buy separate bags to travel with family than what you travel to hunt with.

 

[11boo]

I did not read the story, but how the hell did they get by TSA???

You have to wonder. Took my nephew on a trip once, TSA missed the 8 45ACP rounds in a magazine in grand junction. We were making the connection in SLC when he finds it in his backpack. Kept the mag, threw out the ammo.

TSA never said anything about the empty mag on the return trip either.

 

[tpicou]

You learn to be very careful when your travel internationally. My brother damn near got a cavity search in Argentina due to having a single shotgun shell in his checked suitcase.

This. I usually use different luggage for normal trips vs international hunting trips for this reason. After a long day I’ve definitely thrown a loose round or two in a bag when taking them out of my pocket and I can see how someone could miss it if you get lazy.

 

[Justin Crossley]

This…

For whatever grievances people have, we live in the best place in the history of the world. I’ll do Europe, but I’m out on almost all other places. You couldn’t give me a free trip to Mexico, any place in Africa, or any other 3rd world country.

We almost found our way to a Mexican jail 20 years ago when Mexico was “safe” due to a shakedown. Apparently my buddiys truck was too nice. Luckily we were poor college students and the cops decided we weren’t going to come up with money, regardless of the threats.

I wish more people felt this way. It would help reduce the cost of airfare and save me a lot of money. I love the US, but there are lots of other awesome places to go and enjoy. Heck, Mexico is one of my favorite places to vacation and I can't wait for my first trip to South Africa next year.

 

[Ucsdryder]

I won’t fight your for that plane ticket!

I wish more people felt this way. It would help reduce the cost of airfare and save me a lot of money. I love the US, but there are lots of other awesome places to go and enjoy. Heck, Mexico is one of my favorite places to vacation and I can't wait for my first trip to South Africa next year.

 

[Axlrod]

The only time I have left the USA in the last couple years was to go to San Francisco, and New York City.