GF99/99
Contributor
OMG don't even get me started on Mexican TSA and Mexican customs.
I was just down there last month, took me 1.5hr to get through customs. It is actually very off putting. I understand they have a job to do but also at the same time its pretty clearly obvious I am a diving tourist. I have traveled to 60+ countries and this was one of my worst customs experiences. They were treating me like I was a criminal. Only other time I had major issue that took hours to resolve was in Ethiopia. I had a hand help GPS and binoculars in my bag because I was going to Kenya and Uganda afterwards and apparently GPS and binoculars are considered "military" items and are very illegal in Ethiopia. Obvious I had no idea of this but customs caught me right away and I got pulled in because I was trying to import "military" items into the country. But the Ethiopian customs were polite, professional, and understanding of the situation. It took along time to resolve but they did resolve it and they actually held my items at the customs office in the airport for me so I could collect them when I left the country and not have the confiscated. I could not believe it I thought for sure I was going to loose them or have to "pay"
Anyways back to Mexico, I was traveling with a rebreather, lots of bail out regs (we were diving the Wakulla room) canister lights, drysuit, spare parts, etc. all the usual CCR cave diving stuff.
Got stopped by customs just after the baggage claim. They opened both my bags pulled everything and I mean everything out laid it all out (took up almost 2 of the massive stainless steel table things at the customs inspection area) Opened every little pouch, every little container etc. For example I have plastic tubaware with all my different o-rings in it. Pull all of them out and looked at all of them. Looked at every singe spare battery I had, every single allen key, screw driver, all my clothes. I mean they went through everything! They called in 3 other people and they were all just hovering and picking things up looking at them setting them down picking them up again looking at them setting them back down, digging through stuff over and over and over again. Very hostile towards me and treating me like I was trying to smuggle something illegal in. I even asked them what are they looking for, and if possible please bring a dog to check for illegal items but they did not want to deal with me.
I know to never ever argue or have an attitude with foreign customs but this was really pushing my limits.
Finally after 1.5hr a couple of them walked away and one guy said "ok" and waved his had at me like I was a peasant free to go. So I had to play bag tetras and repack everything and off I went. No explanation given to me. I don't know if they just realized I was not going to pay them off and they had nothing against me so there was nothing they could actual hold me for. Who knows.
They only entertaining part was sitting back from a distance watching two Mexican customs individual inspecting one by one a whole box of WideBands. I can only image what those guys were thinking or how they were thinking these condoms with a giant hole on the end were going to work.
