"3 SFO security screeners charged with smuggling cocaine"
Nov 9, 2015, 9:35 am
#16
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I believe that some jurisdictions have codes that make "looks like drugs" a violation. Some people traffic in fake drugs by passing them off as being real.
Oregano rolled as joints might fit that description.
Oregano in a properly marked container should be ok and would still get the attention of TSA if they are looking for drugs.
Oregano rolled as joints might fit that description.
Oregano in a properly marked container should be ok and would still get the attention of TSA if they are looking for drugs.
Nov 9, 2015, 9:50 am
#17
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OK, just being ornery and thinking of some of the TSOs I've had the misfortune to encounter...I wonder what would happen if someone rolled a few joints out of oregano and 'artfully concealed' them in tin foil.
Once the TSOs realized it wasn't weed, would they still confiscate the joints because they are lifelike replicas of ...something organic?
Silly but true story.
Flying out of SEA with a daypack and a rollaboard. Both are locked and I get pulled for a bag check. Screener says unlock the rollaboard. OK, but the key for the rollaboard is in the locked daypack. Unlock the daypack, remove the key, unlock the rollaboard. Screener pokes around a bit, discovers my 'artfully concealed' suspicious organic items. He grips each firmly with two hands and squeezes, smiles and says 'Fish, right? We get a lot of folks flying out with salmon.'
They were barbecue sandwiches (on 10-inch hard rolls) from a local eatery. I explained, he smiled, all was well and I was free to go. Other than leaving his handprints indented in the sandwiches (which were gifts), he never opened the paper bag they were in.
Fish? Salmon? lots of people take it home in their carry-on?
Once the TSOs realized it wasn't weed, would they still confiscate the joints because they are lifelike replicas of ...something organic?
Silly but true story.
Flying out of SEA with a daypack and a rollaboard. Both are locked and I get pulled for a bag check. Screener says unlock the rollaboard. OK, but the key for the rollaboard is in the locked daypack. Unlock the daypack, remove the key, unlock the rollaboard. Screener pokes around a bit, discovers my 'artfully concealed' suspicious organic items. He grips each firmly with two hands and squeezes, smiles and says 'Fish, right? We get a lot of folks flying out with salmon.'
They were barbecue sandwiches (on 10-inch hard rolls) from a local eatery. I explained, he smiled, all was well and I was free to go. Other than leaving his handprints indented in the sandwiches (which were gifts), he never opened the paper bag they were in.
Fish? Salmon? lots of people take it home in their carry-on?
Minnesota State Statute
152.097 SIMULATED CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES.
Subdivision 1.Prohibition
It is unlawful for any person knowingly to manufacture, sell, transfer or deliver or attempt to sell, transfer or deliver a noncontrolled substance upon:
(3) under circumstances which would lead a reasonable person to believe that the substance was a controlled substance. Any of the following factors shall constitute relevant evidence:
(snip)
(iii) the physical appearance of the noncontrolled substance is substantially identical to a specified controlled substance.
Last edited by DaveBlaine; Nov 9, 2015 at 9:56 am
Nov 9, 2015, 1:13 pm
#18
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OK, to simplify: if I was carrying badly home-rolled tobacco and TSA decided to investigate. Once the suspicious items that looked like some organic nastiness hazardous to aviation safety were established to be tobacco, would TSA still confiscate them because the screener thinks a badly-rolled cigarette is a lifelike 'replica' of a badly-rolled joint?
Would they call the cops before or after examining the cigarettes?
Would they call the cops before or after examining the cigarettes?
Nov 9, 2015, 1:17 pm
#19
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OK, to simplify: if I was carrying badly home-rolled tobacco and TSA decided to investigate. Once the suspicious items that looked like some organic nastiness hazardous to aviation safety were established to be tobacco, would TSA still confiscate them because the screener thinks a badly-rolled cigarette is a lifelike 'replica' of a badly-rolled joint?
Would they call the cops before or after examining the cigarettes?
Would they call the cops before or after examining the cigarettes?
Nov 9, 2015, 2:24 pm
#20
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Sure. Granted, most people don't take it home fresh, but ... that's the Pacific Northwest for you. My wife brought home vacuum-packed smoked salmon on her last trip out there, and I'm sure she had it in her carry-on.
Dave's point is well-taken. I don't work for TSA, but I'll put my opinion in.
Note that TSA isn't authorized to confiscate suspected drugs; drugs aren't a threat to airline safety. However, TSA is authorized to call local LEOs and have them look at your items and decide if you've broken any local laws (like the ones named up-thread). At that point ... you're at the mercy of the local LEOs, and who knows what would happen? Depends on whether the responding officer has a sense of humor, I suppose.
OK, to simplify: if I was carrying badly home-rolled tobacco and TSA decided to investigate. Once the suspicious items that looked like some organic nastiness hazardous to aviation safety were established to be tobacco, would TSA still confiscate them because the screener thinks a badly-rolled cigarette is a lifelike 'replica' of a badly-rolled joint?
Would they call the cops before or after examining the cigarettes?
Would they call the cops before or after examining the cigarettes?
Note that TSA isn't authorized to confiscate suspected drugs; drugs aren't a threat to airline safety. However, TSA is authorized to call local LEOs and have them look at your items and decide if you've broken any local laws (like the ones named up-thread). At that point ... you're at the mercy of the local LEOs, and who knows what would happen? Depends on whether the responding officer has a sense of humor, I suppose.
Nov 9, 2015, 3:20 pm
#21
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Sure. Granted, most people don't take it home fresh, but ... that's the Pacific Northwest for you. My wife brought home vacuum-packed smoked salmon on her last trip out there, and I'm sure she had it in her carry-on.
Dave's point is well-taken. I don't work for TSA, but I'll put my opinion in.
Note that TSA isn't authorized to confiscate suspected drugs; drugs aren't a threat to airline safety. However, TSA is authorized to call local LEOs and have them look at your items and decide if you've broken any local laws (like the ones named up-thread). At that point ... you're at the mercy of the local LEOs, and who knows what would happen? Depends on whether the responding officer has a sense of humor, I suppose.
Dave's point is well-taken. I don't work for TSA, but I'll put my opinion in.
Note that TSA isn't authorized to confiscate suspected drugs; drugs aren't a threat to airline safety. However, TSA is authorized to call local LEOs and have them look at your items and decide if you've broken any local laws (like the ones named up-thread). At that point ... you're at the mercy of the local LEOs, and who knows what would happen? Depends on whether the responding officer has a sense of humor, I suppose.
I'm most curious as to whether TSA would confiscate the home-rolled cigarettes, having identified them as no threat to aviation security.
Nov 9, 2015, 3:24 pm
#22
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Do you roll your own cigarettes?
Nov 9, 2015, 6:35 pm
#23
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Possession of a simulated controlled substance would still be a crime because:
Minnesota State Statute
152.097 SIMULATED CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES.
Subdivision 1.Prohibition
It is unlawful for any person knowingly to manufacture, sell, transfer or deliver or attempt to sell, transfer or deliver a noncontrolled substance upon:
(3) under circumstances which would lead a reasonable person to believe that the substance was a controlled substance. Any of the following factors shall constitute relevant evidence:
(snip)
(iii) the physical appearance of the noncontrolled substance is substantially identical to a specified controlled substance.
Minnesota State Statute
152.097 SIMULATED CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES.
Subdivision 1.Prohibition
It is unlawful for any person knowingly to manufacture, sell, transfer or deliver or attempt to sell, transfer or deliver a noncontrolled substance upon:
(3) under circumstances which would lead a reasonable person to believe that the substance was a controlled substance. Any of the following factors shall constitute relevant evidence:
(snip)
(iii) the physical appearance of the noncontrolled substance is substantially identical to a specified controlled substance.
Nov 9, 2015, 7:36 pm
#24
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OK, to simplify: if I was carrying badly home-rolled tobacco and TSA decided to investigate. Once the suspicious items that looked like some organic nastiness hazardous to aviation safety were established to be tobacco, would TSA still confiscate them because the screener thinks a badly-rolled cigarette is a lifelike 'replica' of a badly-rolled joint?
Would they call the cops before or after examining the cigarettes?
Would they call the cops before or after examining the cigarettes?
Nov 9, 2015, 7:45 pm
#25
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Well they got charged. Just like other people who commit crimes. At least they weren't staying in on a Saturday night looking for bad stories on the internet about government groups they don't like I guess.
Nov 9, 2015, 9:29 pm
#26
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Nov 10, 2015, 3:15 am
#27
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FliesWay2Much
Doing a Saturday night search of the news websites and this made my day:
Jeepers -- The bolded phrase kinda' tells me that the TSA really does search for drugs. Maybe I'm wrong; I went to public school.
Well they got charged. Just like other people who commit crimes. At least they weren't staying in on a Saturday night looking for bad stories on the internet about government groups they don't like I guess.
Originally Posted by FliesWay2Much
Doing a Saturday night search of the news websites and this made my day:
Jeepers -- The bolded phrase kinda' tells me that the TSA really does search for drugs. Maybe I'm wrong; I went to public school.
Well they got charged. Just like other people who commit crimes. At least they weren't staying in on a Saturday night looking for bad stories on the internet about government groups they don't like I guess.
Nov 10, 2015, 7:07 am
#28
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Saturday night is as good a night as any to get informed by seeking out additional information, perhaps because it's usually otherwise a slow news night due to employment practices. 
Indeed lots of people still roll their own cigarettes by picking their choice of tobacco. In some cases, this has been a pursuit due to excise tax applicability. There are also still pipe smokers who carry packets of tobacco.
For a while at least, there was an increase in the proportion of American smokers choosing to roll their own cigarettes. See the following on how taxes can encourage people to change behavior.
http://www.startribune.com/smokers-b...tes/223778101/
For a while at least, there was an increase in the proportion of American smokers choosing to roll their own cigarettes. See the following on how taxes can encourage people to change behavior.
http://www.startribune.com/smokers-b...tes/223778101/
Last edited by GUWonder; Nov 10, 2015 at 7:13 am
Nov 10, 2015, 7:17 am
#29
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In fact, they are so effective at their job that they have to keep the results of the SPOTnik program double-secret because it thwarts so many terror attacks.....er not....
Nov 10, 2015, 7:17 am
#30
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