Warning! Police/duty Free Scam - Friendship Bridge

[chrisrazz]

Apologies if this has been done before.

A friend went to Laos for a couple of weeks. Coming back to Nongkai, yesterday, he and his lady picked up their duty free allowance and re-entered Thailand. As he parked his car 5km away, he got a taxi. Unknown to him, he was photographed loading the cab with the luggage, including both bags of duty free. Not far into the taxi journey a police car pulled the taxi over, showed the photo of him with the duty free, claiming it was all his and that the photo was proof and demanded 18k. He had already passed through customs with no problems. He has a Thai friend who is a judge who could not even help. So, be warned, this is not the first story of this nature I've heard.

Once more the reputation of Thailand is sullied by police extortion.

He asked for a receipt for the 18k, no need to elaborate on that one.

[pattayadingo]

Was he over the limit with his duty free?

[Chivas]

What do you mean "no need to elaborate" on the Receipt for the 18k....??

I fully understand what I assume you are implying but nobody gives 18,000 without a receipt...??

[endure]

If he was carrying both bags of duty-free in the cab where had the GF disappeared to?

[justcruisin]

This has been happening for quiet a while. Leaving V.T. about 5 years ago we were blocked and forced off the road by 3 other cars one front, side and rear LA Cop style.Not one person wearing a uniform.

Turns out as we departed I, the only farang took a few bags from some of the girls returning over the fence at the Thai side after leaving customs. I did not enter the P.D.R. They counted the goods purchased, kept us waiting for nearly one hour, tried to take photos and eventually a couple of dudes with gold braid and some semblance of a govt department arrived and shooshed the annoying buggas away!

The duty free limit was not breached...Sheesh.

[WonnabeBiker]

Come to Aranyaprethet / Poipet and watch how Thai Boarder Patrol lets the Cambodian mafia

herd the farang returning to Thailand. They close the gates and let others move ahead etc.

It's sickening.

They also allow these crooks with homemade ID cross the border freely.

Such a guy tried to have me searched by some cop while

I was waiting for a casino bus to take me back to Bangkok.

Another lawless border is the one to Myanmar - nightly crossings by lorries

driving with no lights...

The other day in Nong Khai, they only have 3 lanes. Hundreds of people

are queuing a very long time. What a reminder that you are about to enter a 3rd World country!

[Crossy]

18k is a big fine for 2 bottles of booze and 400 cigarettes (the duty free limit for two persons or is there a different limit at land crossings?).

How much stuff did he actually have, and where was lady friend?

[chrisinth]

Sorry, don't understand what he was charged the 18K for. Even if it was the legal allowed duty free, and the GF wasn't present, you would not get charged 18K for being double.

What did he have with him when he got stopped?

[YipYipYa123]

Sorry, don't understand what he was charged the 18K for. Even if it was the legal allowed duty free, and the GF wasn't present, you would not get charged 18K for being double.

What did he have with him when he got stopped?

the police dont have any set rules to go by ,they do whatever the hell they like and call it law

its not unusual for someone rich to pay 5 or 10 x times more for a crime such a drink driving

or traffic violations

i was detained for ages one night and made to pay 1000 or my bike was getting impounded

because i didnt have proof of ownership (green book ) with me

of course a thai likely wouldnt even be stopped for such a thing ,but if he was 100thb would be mo4e than enough to cover it

[chrisrazz]

Sorry if not clear. As a couple they were not over the allowance. The police claimed all was his as he was photographed placing both bags into the taxi. Yes, the girlfriend was present throughout. He was insulted, fairly roughly treated until he acquiesced and all was smiles once the money was paid. The cops drove them back to the border where the money was split between those at the customs desk and the 'arresting' officers. Not he did not get a receipt, he was ushered away.

[Fgis]

I didn't get the photo story also ?

Anyway,, some people would be scammed even on Mars, so I am not surprised :-)

Not so difficult to use your brain and buy goods at duty free shops when you enter the country, not when you leave !

It is famous that some people at duty free shops work with customs and call them when someone buy too much...

[dave111223]

Why would you hand over 18K? I'd prefer to sit in a cell for a couple of days at least before being scammed out of that kind of money, just to make a point that I wasn't a sucker.

[h90]

Why would you hand over 18K? I'd prefer to sit in a cell for a couple of days at least before being scammed out of that kind of money, just to make a point that I wasn't a sucker.

I would prefer paying 18K, than getting all kind of extra troubles like getting my visa canceled....

[Nana Cowboy]

Moral of this story is.... do not buy duty free....period

[HeijoshinCool]

I wouldn't think "police" have authority over customs issues ... oh, wait, that doesn't matter.

[h90]

Moral of this story is.... do not buy duty free....period

at least don't max it out.

[pattayadingo]

Sorry if not clear. As a couple they were not over the allowance. The police claimed all was his as he was photographed placing both bags into the taxi. Yes, the girlfriend was present throughout. He was insulted, fairly roughly treated until he acquiesced and all was smiles once the money was paid. The cops drove them back to the border where the money was split between those at the customs desk and the 'arresting' officers. Not he did not get a receipt, he was ushered away.

I have known it happen only when someone has been over the limit. That was out of Poipet. He bought the cigs from someone at the market at knock down prices and knowing full well what he was doing as they were duty frees.

The mini-bus he was on was pulled over further down the road and he had to pay up. These scams are commonplace for those who are greedy enough to buy too many extra packs of cigs.

As I recall, they do not have to be the normal customs people who pull you over. Some time ago this was happening at Swampy airport where people walked through the green channel and were searched. If found to have extra they were made to pay up.

To say your friend was not over the limit AND he paid up? Something very wrong with that. Plus 18K is a lot for 200 cigs and a bottle of booze. Even if they had photos of him getting into the taxi and courteously carrying an extra bag for his girlfriend that would not be enough to have him fined.

On the other hand, if the girlfriend does not smoke and told these people she does not, then they would / could deem he was over the limit.

[dave111223]

I would prefer paying 18K, than getting all kind of extra troubles like getting my visa canceled....

It's madness to think that you'd have your visa canceled for doing nothing wrong (as is the claim in the OP). Paying 18K in this situation is akin to a random policeman walking up to you in the street and saying, give me 18,000 baht. So in this case you would also pay up because you don't want him to take your visa away?

How about it's just a random person with a "POLICE" hat on? Still pay up? Where do you draw the line?

I think everyone has their limit of what they would pay, for me 18K is way over that limit. For me I might shell out a few 100 in this kind of situation (being shaken down for doing nothing). For you i guess it's more than 18K you'd be willing to pay, what would you're limit be; would you pay 100K, 500K?

Of course if there is any question in your mind of being guilty (ie you might have been over the limit) then I guess you'd been caught and better pay up, or negotiate.

Edited February 4, 2013 by dave111223

[Payboy]

How much does one actually save if purchases are within the duty-free limit?

[Fookhaht]

How much does one actually save if purchases are within the duty-free limit?

In my experience of travel in over 30 countries, the higher prices of duty-free shops generally cancel the savings in duty taxes. Haven't seen normal prices at a single duty-free shop, yet.

Edited February 4, 2013 by Fookhaht

[Fookhaht]

Someone with a fast mouse and a couple of hours could create a mammoth mountain of information on your new thread, if they did a simple search only on ThaiVisa, and then followed with some cut-and-pastes.

Multiple threads exist here on Pattaya/Phuket jet ski scams, Bangkok tuk-tuk/jewelry store scams, bar-girl scams, double-tiered pricing scams, home construction scams--and the list is nearly endless. To kick-start your project, there's your homework. I'll visit your thousand-page thread when I get the chance.

[Nana Cowboy]

How much does one actually save if purchases are within the duty-free limit?

\

not enough that's for sure

[h90]

I would prefer paying 18K, than getting all kind of extra troubles like getting my visa canceled....

It's madness to think that you'd have your visa canceled for doing nothing wrong (as is the claim in the OP). Paying 18K in this situation is akin to a random policeman walking up to you in the street and saying, give me 18,000 baht. So in this case you would also pay up because you don't want him to take your visa away?

How about it's just a random person with a "POLICE" hat on? Still pay up? Where do you draw the line?

I think everyone has their limit of what they would pay, for me 18K is way over that limit. For me I might shell out a few 100 in this kind of situation (being shaken down for doing nothing). For you i guess it's more than 18K you'd be willing to pay, what would you're limit be; would you pay 100K, 500K?

Of course if there is any question in your mind of being guilty (ie you might have been over the limit) then I guess you'd been caught and better pay up, or negotiate.

Well the story can be twisted that you are wrong. Most probable he actually is using the duty free stuff himself and use his wife only as excuse.

If playing it out, I don't know if "fraud" is canceling your visa.....

I actually be always very carefully on duty free things.

A friend of mine (Austrian) got problem at the Austrian border as the customs told he bought the camera outside Austria which he didn't.

Another friend got problems and had to pay a fortune with his Rolex he bought years ago.

[krisb]

Sorry if not clear. As a couple they were not over the allowance. The police claimed all was his as he was photographed placing both bags into the taxi. Yes, the girlfriend was present throughout. He was insulted, fairly roughly treated until he acquiesced and all was smiles once the money was paid. The cops drove them back to the border where the money was split between those at the customs desk and the 'arresting' officers. Not he did not get a receipt, he was ushered away.

Thats the biggest load of <deleted> bull cr&p Ive heard.

Why didnt he just say "no"?...Id throw it all in the bin after Id ripped up and poured out any booze. 18k, and he payed!!!!...no <deleted> way. Friendship Bridge my butt.

We need a pinned thread titled "Things which sting in Thailand" solely for the "lets jip a tourist" topic.

Edited February 4, 2013 by krisb

[Potosi]

Moral of this story is.... do not buy duty free....period

Especially not in Laos. Lao whisky costs 60 to 80 Baht for a large bottle, and is great stuff. I like it better than Jack Daniels, which costs at least 700 in duty free shops. Honest custom officers have no problem with two large bottles of whisky, if one of them has been opened and a little of it consumed. With scum like in the story of the OP, if true, nothing helps. As for cigarettes, some stores in Vientiane sell Kreteks. Why bother with crap like LM if one can smoke these?

[stevenl]

Sorry if not clear. As a couple they were not over the allowance. The police claimed all was his as he was photographed placing both bags into the taxi. Yes, the girlfriend was present throughout. He was insulted, fairly roughly treated until he acquiesced and all was smiles once the money was paid. The cops drove them back to the border where the money was split between those at the customs desk and the 'arresting' officers. Not he did not get a receipt, he was ushered away.

So why did he pay?

[steve down under]

"On the other hand, if the girlfriend does not smoke and told these people she does not, then they would / could deem he was over the limit."

I dont ever recall that there is any requirement when buying Duty Free cigarettes/alcohol that you have to prove that you are going to use the cigarettes /alcohol yourself ! as far as I am aware most countries that allow such purchases only state an age limit depending on local laws at which age you can purchase such items and the amount allowed , therefore I would say that the OP's friend has been well and truly intimidated/scammed out of around 500+ dollars .

[FarangTalk]

This happened to me at Suvarnabhumi a few years ago.

I was stopped whilst waiting on a taxi by several Thais in blue jackets who flashed a badge at me then proceeded to search my duty free bags. I did not have any excess duty free but I felt violated (should have been done at Customs IMO) and people were staring at me as if I was some sort of common criminal as these persons rifled through my belongings.

To add insult to injury, the men were not only rude, they did not offer me any apology for stopping and searching my bags without reason.

Apparently, they were targeting people with excess duty free tobacco from flights from the Middle East for extortion.

I believe duty free is 1L of alcohol and 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars.

If you put yourself in a position to be extorted these criminals will take advantage of that. Bear in mind they are not Police/Customs as they are in the West, they are merely criminals who have paid to wear a uniform and as a result have a license to extort and consider themselves above the law.

[dave111223]

"On the other hand, if the girlfriend does not smoke and told these people she does not, then they would / could deem he was over the limit."

I dont ever recall that there is any requirement when buying Duty Free cigarettes/alcohol that you have to prove that you are going to use the cigarettes /alcohol yourself ! as far as I am aware most countries that allow such purchases only state an age limit depending on local laws at which age you can purchase such items and the amount allowed , therefore I would say that the OP's friend has been well and truly intimidated/scammed out of around 500+ dollars .

Haven't you heard? They now stop you on the way out of the duty free shop, force you to puff a few of the cigarettes you've bought. If you cough they punch a hole through the top of your bowler hat and stamp on your toes.

[steve down under]

"On the other hand, if the girlfriend does not smoke and told these people she does not, then they would / could deem he was over the limit."

I dont ever recall that there is any requirement when buying Duty Free cigarettes/alcohol that you have to prove that you are going to use the cigarettes /alcohol yourself ! as far as I am aware most countries that allow such purchases only state an age limit depending on local laws at which age you can purchase such items and the amount allowed , therefore I would say that the OP's friend has been well and truly intimidated/scammed out of around 500+ dollars .

Haven't you heard? They now stop you on the way out of the duty free shop, force you to puff a few of the cigarettes you've bought. If you cough they punch a hole through the top of your bowler hat and stamp on your toes.