Australians have a particularly bad reputation when it comes to smuggling drugs into Bali. A few high profile cases in the last 10 years have shone unwanted light onto not only the Illegal drug trade in Indonesia, but also their harsh policy of executing drug smugglers.
Welcome to Indonesia, Death Penalty for Drug Traffickers !
(Image Source: www.4.bp.blogspot.com)
Australians have a particularly shoddy reputation when it comes to smuggling drugs into Bali. A few high profile cases in the last 10 years have shone unwanted light onto the drug trade in Indonesia, and their policy of execution. Most recently, members of "The Bali 9" most of whom came from my hometown were executed by firing squad for attempting to smuggle nearly 10kg of Heroin from Bali to Australia. Before that Schapelle Corby dominated the headlines after being caught trying to bring a body-board bag filled with high quality marjiuana into Indonesia. Her claims that baggage handlers and ground staff were involved (a claim that was never proven) has forever changed the way people fly from Australia to Asia. Bags are now locked and wrapped in plastic as fearful holiday-makers imagine in horror their luggage being filled with illicit goods.
The Bali 9
(image source: www.newsapi.com.au)
Schapelle Corby Behind Bars
(image source: www.smh.com.au)
Anyway, I'm going to talk you thru the 8 steps of interrogation that I went through recently, after being suspected of smuggling drugs into Indonesia (I believe there is a 9th step, which I didn't endure)
The Steps:
1. Get spotted
2. X-Ray of all luggage
3. Get spotted (Again)
4. Questioning
5. The Complete Luggage Check
6. Additional X-ray of empty suitcases and shoes
7. Passport sent away for verification
8. Interrogation Room for Questioning & Body Search
1. Get Spotted
(note: this is not the guy, BUT it looks like him)
After you clear passport control at Denpasar Airport and collect your baggage, you must then file in 2 queues and pass another checkpoint, where a customs officer checks your declaration form. I immediately noticed the spotter waiting just the other side of this checkpoint. He was watching people approach, and then as you passed you were waved in either one of 2 directions, left towards the exit from the terminal, or right to another set of X-ray machines. Nearly everybody was being waved left, but the spotter stepped into my path and sent me right.
Why I think: I was a solo male traveller aged between 20-40 years.
2. Secondary X-ray
At this point all my checked luggage and carry-on luggage was passed through another x-ray machine, where it was given a thorough inspection by 2 customs officials carefully watching the monitor.
3. Get Spotted Again
There was no problem with either my suitcase or my laptop bag, so I collected them and proceeded calmly towards the exit. At this point I was signaled and stopped by another Customs officer. He directed me to a long flat table towards the back of the hall.
What I think: Maybe it was random, I really couldn't say
4. The Questioning
The Customs officer greeted me sternly but professionally, took my passport and began with what I imagine is the standard line of questioning:
"Is your first time to Bali?, How long are you staying?, Who are you staying with?, How are you getting there?, Where in Australia did I arrive from (Oz passport), What do you do?
and other similar probes. I tried to remain confident, polite and courteous. Even though I knew I had nothing to hide, it was still difficult to hold the nerves that I could feel starting to creep in. I feel there were 2 of my answers that he didn't like, didn't believe or just sent his alarm bells ringing. Firstly, I was not traveling from Australia, I had come from Bangkok where I was working, this seemed to raise his suspicions, but I think the main thing was that I was traveling on a fresh passport. My previous passport had been in a bag when a bottle of orange juice broke and leeched all my stamps. He didn't like this story, and I guess in his eyes I had just told him that the dog ate my homework.
What I think: I really feel he didn't believe my story. It didn't add up to him.
5. Complete Baggage Check
(that's not me: image source www.foreignprisoners.com)
At this point my bags were emptied onto the stainless counter-top and all pockets of clothing thoroughly checked. I helpfully alerted him to side pockets and zippers and ensured that he checked them too. I was trying to be painfully obvious that I had nothing to hide. Funnily enough, I had a stack of whitepapers in my laptop bag; steemit, Synereo and DECENT, which was my light airline reading, and he raised his eyebrows asking what they were. I told him they were part of my work. Now with all my possessions laid out in front of me, and an empty suitcase and laptop bag, and no sign of drugs, I thought I would be free to go.
6. Additional X-Ray of Baggage and Shoes
(image source: Getty Images)
At this point he informed me that he wished to x-ray my suitcase for hidden compartments, he also wanted to x-ray my shoes. I removed my shoes and was now standing barefoot at the back of the arrivals hall with all my goods spread out on a table before me. I was starting to not have a good time. Just keep calm, I told myself, and go through the process. He returned a few moments later and told me to pack my things and put my shoes on. Relief, my ordeal was surely over.
What I think: Apparently shoes are a common place to stash drugs, and I guess he wanted to give the bag another check to be sure.
7. Passport Verification
(image source: i.guim.co.uk)
When it was clear that we weren't yet finished, I was starting to worry. This guy really wanted to pin something on me. He told me he would have to take my passport to be checked. He disappeared into the office behind with my passport for what seemed like an eternity. I can't say for sure what he did in there, maybe he ran it through a database or simply took some xerox copies, but eventually he returned, to drop the bomb on me, that we would now be going to an interrogation room for a body search.
8. The Interrogation Room
I was getting a very bad feeling about this. I was now alone in a room with a Customs Officer. If he wanted to, he could plant drugs on me, and it would be my word against his. I was secretly praying that he was not corrupt, and was in fact just very thorough at his job. My legs were beginning to shake a little, but I maintained my composure and remained polite and helpful.
Not me, but same deal
(image source: queerty.com)
He instructed me to take off my shirt and to loosen my trousers, and then turn around and raise my hands above my head. He inspected my naked torso first and then patted me down thoroughly. He was very professional during this part, and asked me if I was ok, I said yes and instructed him to please check my body completely as I had nothing to hide.
He allowed me to get dressed again, and we sat at the table. He took out his notebook, and began to question me. The first few questions were the same as before, and I guess he was checking if I changed my story. He then asked if I had any proof of my work in Bangkok. Hola! Why didn't I think of it before, I fished through my wallet and pulled out my business card, from the University I work for. This seemed to impress him, and as he examined it I proceeded to tell him all about my faculty and the people I worked with. Sensing a breakthrough was near, I also reminded him of the whitepapers he had seen earlier. There were so many grammatical errors in the DECENT whitepaper that I had begun correcting it on the flight out of boredom. I showed him it again with all my red pen marks over it. And I think that convinced him. He spoke the best 5 words I'd heard all day...
" YOU ARE FREE TO GO".
..and thanked me for my time. I collected my luggage, pocketed my passport and walked as quickly as I could out of the customs office, thru the arrival hall and into my waiting car. Time to go crack a cold Bintang and take a sigh of relief...This was my experience 3 days ago, at Denpasar International Airport. I hope you never need to go through this.
NB: The rest of my trip was awesome :) You can see some of the other posts here:
https://steemit.com/travel/@bkkshadow/today-i-made-my-surfing-pilgramage-to-echo-beach-bali
https://steemit.com/travel/@bkkshadow/afternoon-chilling-at-woobar-bali
https://steemit.com/food/@bkkshadow/the-best-dessert-plate-i-have-ever-seen-amazing-food-at-metis-fine-french-dining-seminyak
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