How can I avoid being instructed to open the baggage at customs?
On my recent trip when I returned back to the airport, I was forced to open the baggage at customs. It is my bad that I said to the police there (are they police?) that this is my first trip and thus I don't know what to do. He kindly taught me what I should do, and instructed me to open the baggage, which he checked out.
However, I asked him why some people are forced to open the baggage while others can just pass through it. He said it is just random and not based on whether he suspects the passenger or not.
That being said, as far as I watch it, all people that were forced to open the baggage are men! Sigh. If they just check it at random this would never happen, especially because there are certainly more women than men.
This led me to wonder how they decide to claim to open the baggage. Surely I don't like to be getting into such trouble. Are there any ways, tips, or tactics to avoid being suspected there? Or are there any characteristics that make people more likely to be suspected (other than being men which I think is gender discrimination)?
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Why do I keep getting stopped at customs?
Generally, customs officers may stop people at the border to determine whether they are admissible to the United States, and they may search people's belongings for contraband. This is true even if there is nothing suspicious about you or your luggage.Why do I keep getting sent to secondary inspection?
Anyone, including US citizens, may be sent to secondary inspection if the CBP officer has reservations about admitting them. Secondary inspection is a more detailed inspection to determine whether you should be admitted to the US.What happens in an airport if your checked in baggage has something that is prohibited?
What happens in an airport if your checked in baggage has something that is prohibited? If the police or security service find dangerous or prohibited items in your bag, they will remove the items from the baggage.How can I avoid getting my luggage checked?
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Images: Ketut Subiyanto, Karolina Grabowska, Felicity Tai, Athena