The Day US Customs Found a Bullet in My Pocket
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: ATL/SLC
Posts: 3,522
The Day US Customs Found a Bullet in My Pocket
Interesting read.
http://www.wanderingearl.com/the-day...-in-my-pocket/
The Immigration Officer swiped my passport, glanced at his computer screen and almost immediately stamped me back into the country. But just before I started to walk away he asked, “So you went to Afghanistan and Pakistan. How was it?” The only reply that I could muster up was a quiet, “Very interesting.”
He then called the next person in line and I turned away, relieved beyond belief at how well that had gone. Of course, that relief lasted a mere six seconds, right until the moment when a Customs Officer approached and asked me to step over to one of the inspection tables.
The following hour and a half of my life is a period of time that I will never forget and truthfully, never really want to endure ever again.
He then called the next person in line and I turned away, relieved beyond belief at how well that had gone. Of course, that relief lasted a mere six seconds, right until the moment when a Customs Officer approached and asked me to step over to one of the inspection tables.
The following hour and a half of my life is a period of time that I will never forget and truthfully, never really want to endure ever again.
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Northeast Kansas | Colorado Native
Programs: UA *G, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Gold, NEXUS, TSA Disparager Unobtanium
Posts: 20,508
Very interesting.. I wonder if the CBP Officer would have reacted the same if he was not carrying the candy and books.
#3
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Northern Nevada
Programs: DL,EK
Posts: 1,640
It doesn't surprise me at all. I have been similarly "detained" for my various Middle Eastern travels and residency... and for Arab contacts in my mobile phone. The FBI wouldn't be able to tap my home phone tho - I don't have one.
#6
Join Date: May 2005
Location: various cities in the USofA: NYC, BWI, IAH, ORD, CVG, NYC
Programs: Former UA 1K, National Exec. Elite
Posts: 5,485
What a depressing, albeit wholly unsurprising (which makes it even more depressing), story.
A box of "Super Osama bin Laden Kulfa Balls" would be a fantastic souvenir (so long as neither he or henchmen get royalties).
A box of "Super Osama bin Laden Kulfa Balls" would be a fantastic souvenir (so long as neither he or henchmen get royalties).

#7
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: DTW
Posts: 234
Yeah I would definitely buy those! Seems like the guy should have used his Fifth Amendment rights. They probably would've given up more quickly if he didn't participate in their game.
#8
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Louisville, KY, US
Programs: QF Plat - OW EMD | DL Gold / Starwood Gold
Posts: 6,106
I can't get it to load either -- it reads:
The website you were trying to reach is temporarily unavailable.
Please check back soon.
If you are the owner of this website, please log in for additional
information or contact us as soon as possible.
The website you were trying to reach is temporarily unavailable.
Please check back soon.
If you are the owner of this website, please log in for additional
information or contact us as soon as possible.
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Marriott or Hilton hot tub with a big drink <glub> Beverage: To-Go Bag™ DYKWIA: SSSS /rolleyes ☈ Date Night: Costco
Programs: Sea Shell Lounge Platinum, TSA Pre✓ Refusnik Diamond, PWP Gold, FT subset of the subset
Posts: 12,498
I was able to load it last night, but not now.
The blogger mentioned Customs found a "bullet". I'm going to assume this refers to the inert projectile itself, not a complete cartridge with primer and powder.
The blogger mentioned Customs found a "bullet". I'm going to assume this refers to the inert projectile itself, not a complete cartridge with primer and powder.
#10
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Texas
Programs: AAL Gold, SWA, Amtrak, CAL
Posts: 10
My reading of the story makes it seem like it is the full primer and powder, which if true makes the poster naive at best. If I misunderstand, and it is just a spent shell casing, that is not as bad. If it really was a live unspent round, what did the guy expect, that is an explosive.
#11
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 843
#12
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Texas
Programs: AAL Gold, SWA, Amtrak, CAL
Posts: 10
In some places, like Mexico, just having the bullet can be a big problem. Souvenir or not, I cannot fathom why one would just carry a bullet in the pocket or backpack Barney Fife style, and not expect someone to notice, especially security.
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 37,486
There was a bit more to the story than "just a bullet". There were trips to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Osama Bin Laden candies (really!!), a bunch of religious books and an overzalous customs agent.
There is not much story to this, just an agent who put 1 and 1 together, and came to 3, which to him automatically meant "terrorist". After an interview, the guy was allowed to go.
In the rest of his story he then said his phone was tapped and he constantly got secondaries at the airport.
I'm a little hesitant to believe the FBI/phone tap part of the story, but it certaibly did make for a good read.
There is not much story to this, just an agent who put 1 and 1 together, and came to 3, which to him automatically meant "terrorist". After an interview, the guy was allowed to go.
In the rest of his story he then said his phone was tapped and he constantly got secondaries at the airport.
I'm a little hesitant to believe the FBI/phone tap part of the story, but it certaibly did make for a good read.
#14
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Doha, Qatar
Programs: Air Canada Aeroplan, Lufthansa Miles & More, Flying Blue, Hyatt Gold Passport
Posts: 1,894
Dude, long before the current climate of paranoia and unfettered FBI harassment, I was active in multiple leftist organisations, all of whose members were continuously wiretapped by the FBI (indeed, one of these organisations was formally classified as a 'terrorist' organisation despite our charter, which committed us to achieving our goals through creative non-violent resistance as promoted by Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.). If they were doing that then, we can only imagine what sort of abuse they believe they can get away with now. Don't be naďve -- the FBI is an evil, abusive organisation that recognises no constraints on their behaviour.
#15
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: BOS and vicinity
Programs: Former UA 1P
Posts: 3,718
article available through google cache (for now)