Prescription medication confiscated at Suvarnahumi?

[soistalker]

I had a few bottles (2 or 3) of opiod prescription medication in a small bag with the prescription pages in the bag in the middle of my checked baggage when I left Swampy last week. At my destination, the pills were gone. Would officials have taken the pills out of my bag and not informed me?

[jumbo]

I would make sure to have a confirmation of your doctor you can carry these documents, your airline knows what documents you need, check their website

If not they might take them yes...

[Farma]

My checked bag has been opened twice in the last couple of years. Each time my bag has a white sticker (about 3" x 5") on it stating it had been opened and inspected by Suwannaphum customs.

[lopburi3]

I would expect more likely they went missing at destination rather than departure point.  Or you had senior moment (as you do not even seem to know how many bottles/pills were involved).   

[bbi1]

3 hours ago, Farma said:

My checked bag has been opened twice in the last couple of years. Each time my bag has a white sticker (about 3" x 5") on it stating it had been opened and inspected by Suwannaphum customs.

Ever thought about putting a padlock on your checked suitcase? That way nobody can put stuff into your bags (drugs) or steal stuff from it.

[Farma]

14 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

Ever thought about putting a padlock on your checked suitcase? That way nobody can put stuff into your bags (drugs) or steal stuff from it.

Blame the yanks for introducing TSA locks on suitcases. Anyone with a TSA key can open them.

[bkk6060]

I guess you could inquire but odd you do not know how many bottles of dope you had.  2 or 3??

Usually people on these drugs know down to the pill.

They were either confiscated legally or ripped off.

Lots of opioid demand out there but they are hard to get now people are desperate.

 

[Langsuan Man]

There are certain things that you place in your carry on luggage;  prescription drugs are of them  

 

It's not the theft you have to worry about,  it is replacing the stolen drugs , that is the real problem

[erkho]

I’m struggling with this one.....you are either very naive or brand new to opiate meds. No one and I mean NO ONE packs their opiate meds out of arms reach......FACT. You put two or three bottles of an opiate medication in your checked luggage and are wondering what happened? 

 

By the way this post will do nothing to impress your doctor so if you are trying to show an earnest inquiry you need to file a police report about your medication being stolen......I wish I could be there when you tell the police you had two or three bottles.....they are going to have a field day with you buddy. 

[tifino]

 

when you get to Swampy... make a beeline for the Medicines Checking Counter.

 

Be   In   Their   Face

 

If you push all the meds, and the scripts, and the Drs letter, on the counter towards them, they are stunned!

.. and you are on your way...

 

 

(They are more focussed upon looking for the idiots who try to hide it)

 

 

Of course, you have already filled out the form on the 'plane prior to landing, that you have all these things to Declare!

[Old Croc]

On ‎9‎/‎19‎/‎2018 at 7:28 AM, soistalker said:

At my destination, the pills were gone. Would officials have taken the pills out of my bag and not informed me?

You don't mention where this destination is, so hard to answer your actual question.

I would say it is unlikely Customs on arrival, almost anywhere, would confiscate your meds without informing you. 

Most likely they were stolen by an eagle eyed, crooked employee in the baggage make up area on departure. All bags are x-rayed these days. Drugs like this are very valuable for some.

Others here are lecturing you on the quantities held, and the risks/legalities of transporting opioids over borders, so I wont regale you with my thoughts on the matter.

[soistalker]

Thanks for the thoughtful replies on my thread. Yes, I am not sure if it was 2 or 3 bottles. I had knee surgery this year. I stopped taking the pills when I was pain free, but kept them for once in a while if PT was too painful or if my knee started hurting again. Truth be told, they are brutally effective for a headache. I didn't want a bunch of pills in my carry on, possibly neccesaitating an explanation on why I have that many pills. I thought it strange I wasn't informed of the confiscation. And I discount a theft as the pills were in the middle of a big bag and packed rather tight.

[Argus Tuft]

53 minutes ago, tifino said:

 

when you get to Swampy... make a beeline for the Medicines Checking Counter.

 

Be   In   Their   Face

 

If you push all the meds, and the scripts, and the Drs letter, on the counter towards them, they are stunned!

.. and you are on your way...

 

 

(They are more focussed upon looking for the idiots who try to hide it)

 

 

Of course, you have already filled out the form on the 'plane prior to landing, that you have all these things to Declare!

 

There's a Medicines Checking Counter at BKK?  There's something I haven't noticed in 20 years

And are you aware this is Thailand - there has never been a question on the TM6 arrival card asking if you have medicines to declare.

 

Are you confused about what country you are in perhaps?

[shaurene]

21 hours ago, bbi1 said:

Ever thought about putting a padlock on your checked suitcase? That way nobody can put stuff into your bags (drugs) or steal stuff from it.

My son and I came back from China. When we got home in New Zealand he unpacked his checkin case and his small portable battery pack had been taken out in China, he had a small brass lock on the bag. These are ok if you take it in your carry on. So the lock did not prevent them opening the bag.

39 minutes ago, soistalker said:

Thanks for the thoughtful replies on my thread. Yes, I am not sure if it was 2 or 3 bottles. I had knee surgery this year. I stopped taking the pills when I was pain free, but kept them for once in a while if PT was too painful or if my knee started hurting again. Truth be told, they are brutally effective for a headache. I didn't want a bunch of pills in my carry on, possibly neccesaitating an explanation on why I have that many pills. I thought it strange I wasn't informed of the confiscation. And I discount a theft as the pills were in the middle of a big bag and packed rather tight.

 

[tifino]

52 minutes ago, Argus Tuft said:

 

There's a Medicines Checking Counter at BKK?  There's something I haven't noticed in 20 years

And are you aware this is Thailand - there has never been a question on the TM6 arrival card asking if you have medicines to declare.

 

Are you confused about what country you are in perhaps?

we'll be up there again in a couple of months; so will try to take a photo of the booth. Manned by 3 uniforms, and this was all their (the specific) job they did at that counter.

Swampy.   They are the ones that take a read of the Doctor Letter that describes your meds. 

 

The Declaring thing.... Ticking a Yes, doesn't matter what item you tick, and when landed you aim for the Yes Line...

By being so forthright, nothing to hide, and when they find nothing, hey! shrug your shoulders.

You know... erring on the side of caution  

 

One occasion I had my Oxycontin, and Cialis with me, and the Letter okay'd everything!

 

The practical point really is that the YES Lines are always smaller queues to wait in, than the other one...

[Old Croc]

 

[sawadeeken]

Too late for this trip...... but i go to thailand every couple months and when I have anything like what you describe I will split it up, and if non-liquid and eligible for Hand-Carry baggage I KEEP IT WITH ME in 2-3 seperate pockets of my bags (or even a carried coat's pocket') NEVER PUT VALUABLES OR MEDICATION IN CHECKED BAGGAGE........... Learn from this and do better next time..............

[Nice Boyd]

22 hours ago, bbi1 said:

Ever thought about putting a padlock on your checked suitcase? That way nobody can put stuff into your bags (drugs) or steal stuff from it.

Look on YouTube , see how easy it is to get around locks , are you serious , also look how to break in hotel safes, you ho thru the zipper suitcases

Edited September 20, 2018 by Nice Boyd

[Argus Tuft]

1 hour ago, tifino said:

The Declaring thing.... Ticking a Yes, doesn't matter what item you tick, and when landed you aim for the Yes Line...

To clarify my previous post again - there are NO declarations to be made on the Thailand TM6 arrival card about bringing anything in to the country.

And as for the Medicine Checking Counter you mentioned - are you sure you don't mean the general Green and Red Customs lanes?

[moogradod]

12 hours ago, Langsuan Man said:

There are certain things that you place in your carry on luggage;  prescription drugs are of them  

 

It's not the theft you have to worry about,  it is replacing the stolen drugs , that is the real problem

I agree that this would be completely logical - unfortunately the Thai Autorities do not officially allow medicaments to be transported in the carry on luggage (its on the net). Best is to carry a prescription from your doctor indicating the doses as well (also an official requirement). Another one is that you may only import as much as you need for one month (can be really a problem if you stay longer - see your own comment concerning replacement).

[lvr181]

23 hours ago, bbi1 said:

Ever thought about putting a padlock on your checked suitcase? That way nobody can put stuff into your bags (drugs) or steal stuff from it.

Easy to open and close.

 

See this: https://snapguide.com/guides/open-a-locked-bag-with-a-zip-using-a-ballpoint-pen/

[The Deerhunter]

23 hours ago, bbi1 said:

Ever thought about putting a padlock on your checked suitcase? That way nobody can put stuff into your bags (drugs) or steal stuff from it.

Thieves love zippered suitcases.  They open with a ballpoint pen and re-close with two tweaks of the zip.   All suit cases are dead easy to open.  I used to work for aircargo in my youth and people who did not want to come to the airport to personally clear un-accompanied baggage used to pay us (the airline) to clear it for them and have it delivered.  Trust me . Almost all ll suitcases are dead easy to open.   

 

You don't mention the destination but some airports have a reputation of theft in the baggage handling room.  All they have to do is look in any interesting case or look on the xray machine id there is a group working together. 

My money is on loss at destination.    Surely no Thai is going to steal opiates in Thailand?  Just go and buy an over the counter cough medicine here.

[Tchooptip]

23 hours ago, bbi1 said:

Ever thought about putting a padlock on your checked suitcase? That way nobody can put stuff into your bags (drugs) or steal stuff from it.

The customs won't have any problem cutting your padlock, that is why some luggage can be closed with a padlock with 3/4 figures, and the customs in most airports have a special key to open it, I forgot the name of this system,  all my suitcases have it.

[Jaxxper]

On 9/19/2018 at 11:30 AM, bbi1 said:

Ever thought about putting a padlock on your checked suitcase? That way nobody can put stuff into your bags (drugs) or steal stuff from it.

Do you know how easy it is to pick a suitcase lock or padlock ? 

[moogradod]

This service - wrapping the bag in plastic - is available in Zurich. Does not protect from opening with violence but at least lets you know that someone did or tried.

[CGW]

9 minutes ago, moogradod said:

This service - wrapping the bag in plastic - is available in Zurich. Does not protect from opening with violence but at least lets you know that someone did or tried.

Its available at Suvarnabhumi also, never used it, far easier to not put anything of value in check in luggage ?

[jimn]

A couple of posts here saying " never carry opiate meds in checked luggage". I would say the reverse. Always carry in checked luggage. I carry 7 months supply of heart and opiate pain relief from my doctor with a copy of repeat prescription from doctor. If I put in carry on luggage it will 100% be questioned on departure and on arrival. In 10 years never had a problem in checked luggage. Baggage checks at Swampy on arrival your having a laugh.

[Jonmarleesco]

Well, if they did, they had no business doing so without informing you.

[ujayujay]

On 9/19/2018 at 11:30 AM, bbi1 said:

Ever thought about putting a padlock on your checked suitcase? That way nobody can put stuff into your bags (drugs) or steal stuff from it.

Joke of the Day?

[Mac98]

On 9/19/2018 at 11:30 AM, bbi1 said:

Ever thought about putting a padlock on your checked suitcase? That way nobody can put stuff into your bags (drugs) or steal stuff from it.

TSA orders bags accessible for inspection. Thai government site says you must apply for permission to bring in prescription opioids.