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Are checked bags x-rayed by customs before being put on the belt?

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Are checked bags x-rayed by customs before being put on the belt?

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Old May 23, 2017, 11:22 pm
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Are checked bags x-rayed by customs before being put on the belt?

How does the customs know if one brings in prohibited items?
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Old May 24, 2017, 1:15 am
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Originally Posted by boybi
How does the customs know if one brings in prohibited items?
By scanning/searching them, sometimes before the passenger claims them, more often after the passenger claims them, and sometimes before and after the passenger claims them.

Checked bags are sometimes x-rayed or otherwise screened before being put on the (post-passport control-check) baggage claim belt.
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Old May 25, 2017, 8:18 am
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The x-ray machines are digital and have a special mode which highlights "organic matter", a.k.a. plants & food. They're also looking for the telltale signs of a drug concealment, such as handles of the suitcase being dense rather than hollow, irregular densities in the suitcase lining, etc.
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Old May 25, 2017, 9:03 am
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Originally Posted by KRSW
The x-ray machines are digital and have a special mode which highlights "organic matter", a.k.a. plants & food. They're also looking for the telltale signs of a drug concealment, such as handles of the suitcase being dense rather than hollow, irregular densities in the suitcase lining, etc.
That "special mode" isn't true of all the places where customs does x-ray the bags. Lots of countries go rather low-cost on the technology for customs enforcement.
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Old May 27, 2017, 9:30 pm
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Do they scan all the checked bags upon arrival?

How about for connecting flights where the checked bags will have to be transferred to another airplane, do they scan those as well?

I have noticed in some smaller airports, the bags were just transferred from the bag carriage directly to the belts. How can the customs in those airports know if one of the bags contain prohibited items? Do they just rely on the airport of origin's security?
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Old Jun 2, 2017, 10:11 pm
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
By scanning/searching them, sometimes before the passenger claims them, more often after the passenger claims them, and sometimes before and after the passenger claims them.

Checked bags are sometimes x-rayed or otherwise screened before being put on the (post-passport control-check) baggage claim belt.
Yes, we saw that. We went onto ramp tour at SEA. We saw x-ray machine. When the bags is unloaded from the aircraft and they will bring them to customs for screening the bags before they claims the bags.
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Old Jun 7, 2017, 8:00 am
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Originally Posted by boybi
Do they scan all the checked bags upon arrival?

How about for connecting flights where the checked bags will have to be transferred to another airplane, do they scan those as well?

I have noticed in some smaller airports, the bags were just transferred from the bag carriage directly to the belts. How can the customs in those airports know if one of the bags contain prohibited items? Do they just rely on the airport of origin's security?
I know that on certain flights, CBP will do a "controlled delivery" which requires the use of a baggage claim that is isolated from the rest of the baggage claim area (in IAH it is noticeable as it is down by agriculture control, and has 3 entrances). They will either mark the bag or the CBP officers standing by will know which bags are suspect and when the bag is claimed, they will lead the individual into agriculture/secondary inspection.

It happens in other countries as well, except more obvious--like in Indonesia when they use chalk to write a large "X" on the bag.
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