Travel Bugs And Customs

[tubby and]

Has anyone ever had trouble bringing a TB across a border or on a plane? In the past i have put the tag on my key chain and then transported the actual Bug seperately just so that i don't get held up answering questions. i would guess that it gets a little more touchy if there is something that might be considered contraband, like sand from a beach or a pineapple.

 

(This will probably be moved to TB's soon. But i thought i would try to reach the general populace before it is moved.)

[Keystone]

There'll be a link left in the geocaching topics forum showing that I moved it. But please, start your thread in the proper forum. Thanks.

[+dhenninger]

I had an airpoirt official (in the Netherlands) go through my carry-on with about 15 TBs in it and he didn't say anything about them. I have taken many through the x-ray in the US too with no problems. Of course, normal rules apply, no knives etc..

 

Dave

[+fly46]

I've never had problems. What are they going to tell us? No keychains or toys?

[+bigredmed]

I have shipped them via UPS and US Post/German Mail to Germany and to South Africa. Still waiting on the South Africa data, but to and from Germany was not a problem.

[+TravelingViking]

I took this

My TB Carrier Case

over the Atlantic several times - always carry-on so that I get a chance to take some pictures. Of course, I don't take any TBs that look like a weapon...

 

The last time I had a 2 inch brass propeller and they looked at it to see how sharp the edges were, but no problem I could take it on board.

 

If anybody asks I say this is a "toy exchange program my daughter participates in". Did this several times, so far noever had a problem.

 

Olaf

[MiloBloom]

I can't think of any reason why customs in any country would have issues with Travel Bugs. Of course, no toy guns or knives, and you'll be safe.

 

Instead of explaining geocaching, just say your a hiker, that'll explain the GPS.

 

I like the explanation of the TB as a toy exchange where kids follow the toys travels. That should be sufficient.

 

Whatever you do, just don't lie, just answer straightforward and you should be fine.

 

Dave

[+Eartha]

As long as there is nothing sharp, and pointy or knife/scissors/razor/nailclipper/gun/bullet/rocket/torpedo-like you should be fine. but none of those types of items would be in caches anyway, now WOULD THEY?

[tubby and]

i personally think that it would be easier to hurt someone with a TB dog tag than with a set of nail clippers, that's why i wondered if they would be sticky about them.

[+Greymane]

I have been going through customs long before these tags came along and noone ever questioned my dog tags. You would be surprised what the pass up to challenge those nail clippers.

[Guest]

We are traveling from the UK to the USA next weekend and this question crossed our minds.

 

What occured to us was that travellers are always asked if you packed your bags yourself and also if your have been handed anything by someone else to pack.

 

Strickly speaking a TB falls into the second category. An unscrupulous TB owner could put some kind of contraband in a TB, give the TB a destination of a cache abroad, stash it in a cache and lo and behold... it gets transported abroad with little risk to himself. Although the owner of the TB would traceable the fact that it had contraband inside would require a great deal of proof to show that the owner was resposible for it being there... the caches are available to the public by their very nature and anyone could have placed the contraband inside the TB.

 

I realise that this is very much a theoretical discussion but I did want to consider it so that I have some answers ready should I come across a suspicious customs officer.

 

Binary Pair