Customs / Security...

Hi,

Instead of answering questions, I have one to ask of anyone who may have encountered a situation similar.

I%26#39;m due to fly out in a couple of weeks and have been asked , by a Sri Lanka friend, to buy something over here and deliver to him.

The somthing, is an external hard drive for his computer.

I%26#39;ve purchased it and no trouble packing it but when going through customs / security, both at Heathrow, Kuwait City and Katunayake it%26#39;ll show up on the scans.

Anyone forsee any problem with this. Is it best packed in hand luggage so it can be inspected easily ( it%26#39;s all sealed in it%26#39;s factory packing )or in hold luggage.

Erik,, Dave,, Hans,, anyone got any idea ?

Rod.

Customs / Security...

Hi Rod,

I only foresee problems at Katunayake, as this kind of stuff has import duties in Lanka and you could be accused of %26#39;smuggling%26#39;. So the trick is to make it appear as either 2nd hand or %26#39;personal%26#39; (which means you also have a notebook and %26#39;plan to use it as a companion to that and bring back to UK%26#39;). The personal model works - assuming you have a notebook - because I%26#39;ve never heard of customs writing this down in your passport or the like to make sure it does not stay behind in Lanka. And for both tricks, it should not be sealed in factory packing but at least appear opened.

BTW, hand luggage is better because hold luggage is treated like a basketball in most airports, and even factory packing is not strong enough for that.

Personally, we%26#39;ve used the 2nd hand route several times even with bigger portable computers. Never a problem though once I had to add to it that it was %26#39;personal%26#39; (--%26gt; meant to take it back home) whilst I left it for friends in Lanka...

Hope this helps a bit,

%26lt;Erik%26gt; %26amp; [Sandya]

Customs / Security...

Hi Rod,

Im sure you will be ok as a number of people have taken simular things zip, ( external hard drive) laptops I took a printer and ink. so you will be OK

HI and thankyou,

I agree with your point about baggage handlers Erik, I%26#39;ve never managed to pack aything to make it '; handler proof ';. So hand luggage it is.

I%26#39;m sure I can make it look used . I actually wasn%26#39;t too concerned about the Lankan customs at immigation , I%26#39;ve never seen them stop a white visitor yet so I reckon I should be fine,

Thanks to both of you,

Rod.

Hi Rod,

Last March I brought my old desktop including an external hard disk to Sri Lanka. Flying from Hamburg via Heathrow to Colombo.

All packed in my Samsonite hard-case suitcase. I used the styrofoam pads that came with the equipment to keep distance from the sides of the suitcase and filled up with clothes around it. All arrived unscathed.

No problems with customs/security in any of the places. I have never seen foreigners getting stopped at Colombo Airport.

Hans

Hi,

Thanks Hans, I%26#39;d go the same ay if I had a samsonite suitcase but I have a back pack with a small front pack that unzips to become my inflight bag and day bag. I don%26#39;t like carrying much luggage especially on the buses so I reckon it%26#39;s gonna be in my hand luggage .

Thanks for the answer,

Rod.

Hi Rod

As you probably know, i always take my lap top to SL with me, and to this time have never had a problem with it, either at LHR or Colombo.

Maybe i would suggest that for your own security and convinience (spelling?) you take it as hand luggage, then there won%26#39;t be any problems with you being called to customer services desk at outbound aiport, after all hard drives will show up on X-Ray scanners !, also of course hard drives are very fragile and would not likely stand up to baggage handlers rough treatment !

Laptops ect these days are NOT requested to be taken out of bags for special screening at UK airports.

Hope this helps ?

Regards

Dave

Hi Rod,

I travel with an external hard-drive, with and without my laptop on business several times a month. Never had anyone ask about it in the last couple of years. I always carry it in my hand luggage as I would not want it to go missing for a few days as my hold luggage frequently does! If I%26#39;m carrying something new for a friend I always make it look personal to me and not new - simply put the packaging, if it is needed, in your hold luggage. Hope this helps, John

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all that.

I%26#39;ve decided to do just that, strip the packaging and carry it in hand luggage as a personal item.

I don%26#39;t really see any problems . I%26#39;ve taken lots of different stuff in previously, usually for kids, but not electronic equipment that could show up as something really dodgy on the x-rays.

Concensus with you guys is that thee shouldn%26#39;t be any problem so I%26#39;ll go along with that.

Rod.