Cozumel Airport forbidden items

[JamesBon92007]

OIC--I've never had anyone go through my carry-on when I wasn't standing right there.

The "bag drag" is looking more appealing.

 

[KeithG]

These were taken from his carry-on at CZM. Long story but they had a very short time to get to their plane, so couldn't check everything as they left. It was noticed when they landed at their first stop after leaving CZM. They had family still at the airport when they landed so alerted them, and they spoke with the head of security in CZM. Items were not found.

I am curious how this happened. I can not think of an opportunity for things to go missing from a carryon during screening. You have your carryon with you. If it gets searched you are standing there watching the person doing the manual search. Every airport I have been in the manual search is done on a bare table in full view of everyone - there is no place to hide anything taken out (or that drops out) of a bag.

Is CZM different from the rest of the world?

Maybe the things went missing on the airplane? I tend to put my carryon in the overhead across the aisle so that I can see people digging around in the overhead. When your bag is above you, you have no idea what is happening.

 

[merxlin]

The carry on was taken to another area to be searched, then returned to my friend with the explanation about the batteries. They had no reason to question any added items being taken out as they couldn't see clearly what was happening and they only seemed to be in interested in the batteries. The carry-on was with him on the plane and that is where they noticed the other missing items.

 

[KeithG]

The carry on was taken to another area to be searched, then returned to my friend with the explanation about the batteries. They had no reason to question any added items being taken out as they couldn't see clearly what was happening and they only seemed to be in interested in the batteries. The carry-on was with him on the plane and that is where they noticed the other missing items.

So CZM is different. Is this secret bag search a CZM thing or a Mexico thing?

Every airport I have been to has been extremely careful to ensure the bag owner is present anytime a bag is being searched.

I am curious as I will be travelling to Mexico on a business-ish trip in the fall and want to be properly prepared. I have locks on my carryon. Maybe I should lock it? That may force my presence?

 

[DFDubb]

Never seen anything like that in all of the many countries my wife and I have visited. If on a dive trip, I have several thousand dollars worth of camera equip in my back pack that gets searched 100% of the time I bring it on-board. I've never been asked to be separated from my bag for the search, ever. Sounds to me like whomever is trying to sell this story to someone, did something stupid and rather than admit it, feels it's easier to blame some Mexican TSA's. Maybe I'm off base, but it doesn't add up.

 

[mediumone]

Maybe I'm off base, but it doesn't add up.

+1
Sop at CUN is the baggage handlers are all frisked by the lead, then one of the crew frisks him immediately after the baggage doors are closed. They all know on which side their bread is buttered.

 

[ggunn]

The carry on was taken to another area to be searched, then returned to my friend with the explanation about the batteries.

That's just weird. My wife and I routinely have our carry on stuff gone though every time we leave Cozumel, and every time they have done it right there in front of us. And what other area? The security zone is open and the only egress is back out into the unsecured open airport. I don't know what other area they could have taken your friend's bag to.

 

[JamesBon92007]

I've only been to CZM twice (arrival and departure) and I don't think they even opened my carry-on bags and I even had extra batteries in one of them. I've had my bags searched almost every time when returning to the USA but I was always present. Recently I actually took a checked bag with a TSA lock on it and found a note from TSA when I opened it but nothing was missing. A few times I forgot to empty my water bottle and was treated rather severely but in those instances they didn't even check my other stuff.

 

[merxlin]

+1
Sop at CUN is the baggage handlers are all frisked by the lead, then one of the crew frisks him immediately after the baggage doors are closed. They all know on which side their bread is buttered.

This was in carry on, not checked bags. It was weird but as I said due to time constraints they were not able to do things as they would have liked to. This is not someone who would make up a story.

 

[ggunn]

This was in carry on, not checked bags. It was weird but as I said due to time constraints they were not able to do things as they would have liked to. This is not someone who would make up a story.

It still sounds weird to me. I have been through that airport many times and have never seen what you are describing. The security area is a rectangle bound by tables on three sides and the xray machine on the fourth; I don't see how they could have taken the bag somewhere where your friend couldn't see it, and like I said, every time they have gone through our stuff (and last time there were about 200 people in line waiting to go through), they have done it at a table with the security person on one side and me or my wife on the other. Something is not meshing.

If your friend was not paying attention and watching the search, I guess a dishonest official could have absconded with the missing items, but I always pay close attention at times like that.