🤔An American father is facing 12 years in prison in Turks and Caicos

[jthrelf]

What a dumbass.

You never make mistakes? Are your initials JC?

[free]

You never make mistakes? Are your initials JC?

I make mistakes daily.

Doesn't make me any less of a dumbass for making them.

But besides that, there are mistakes, and then there are big fuckups. If you're facing 12 years in jail, especially in a foreign country, it's a big fuckup.

[Ronin]

I was a dumbass once (but only once). I almost learned the hard way not to use the same backpack for an impromptu 3-gun match and for a carry-on bag for a trip to Cancun in the same week. I thought I had emptied every thing out of the bag. Got through Philly without issue. On my way home, while going through security at the airport in Cancun, they found an empty .308 case in one of the pockets of my backpack. When questioned about it I apologized and said I didn't realize it was in there. I figured I was going to get pulled out of line and sent to a room to be interrogated or sent to jail or some shit. The woman cop took the case, handed me back my bag and said I shouldn't pickup spent brass as souvenirs, and sent me on my way. I figured it was over, but I was stopped one more time for a complete search of my carry-on and shoes before walking out on the tarmac to get on the plane.

From that day on, my range/competition gear is completely separate from luggage or daily carry of any kind.

[steve_010]

I was a dumbass once (but only once). I almost learned the hard way not to use the same backpack for an impromptu 3-gun match and for a carry-on bag for a trip to Cancun in the same week. I thought I had emptied every thing out of the bag. Got through Philly without issue. On my way home, while going through security at the airport in Cancun, they found an empty .308 case in one of the pockets of my backpack. When questioned about it I apologized and said I didn't realize it was in there. I figured I was going to get pulled out of line and sent to a room to be interrogated or sent to jail or some shit. The woman cop took the case, handed me back my bag and said I shouldn't pickup spent brass as souvenirs, and sent me on my way. I figured it was over, but I was stopped one more time for a complete search of my carry-on and shoes before walking out on the tarmac to get on the plane.

From that day on, my range/competition gear is completely separate from luggage or daily carry of any kind.

It's actually pretty funny they thought you found it on the street in Mexico lol.

[Walleye Hunter]

It's actually pretty funny they thought you found it on the street in Mexico lol.

She might have been offering him an out on the infraction.

[free]

She might have been offering him an out on the infraction.

I think that's exactly what it was.

Personally, when I am flying, I check my bags over and over again, multiple times, very thoroughly. I'm not so much worried about random bullets being in there, but I want to make sure there are no knives or other sharp items, little bags of cocaine, loose gems, gold coins or other things that some fucker is going to want to steal from me.

[Ronin]

It's actually pretty funny they thought you found it on the street in Mexico lol.

Apparently this is a common thing there, or was when I was there fifteen years ago.

She might have been offering him an out on the infraction.

I'm not sure the legality of empty brass in Mexico. The TSA allows it if the primer has been removed or discharged.

I think that's exactly what it was.

Personally, when I am flying, I check my bags over and over again, multiple times, very thoroughly. I'm not so much worried about random bullets being in there, but I want to make sure there are no knives or other sharp items, little bags of cocaine, loose gems, gold coins or other things that some fucker is going to want to steal from me.

I checked the backpack before we left for Mexico. The brass was tucked in a seam of the side pocket. Almost impossible to see. Still, my fault for using that bag for our trip. Interestingly, I was more worried that I or my bag would fail a chem test for gunpowder residue. But I always worry about that when traveling.

[free]

I always wondered what they do if you fail a "residue test".

I mean, so what about residue? If you don't have any illegal items, what difference does it make?

[Sgt.K]

I always wondered what they do if you fail a "residue test".

I mean, so what about residue? If you don't have any illegal items, what difference does it make?

A few years ago I was flying out of PHL to a pistol match, so I had a (declared and padlocked) gun case with two 1911s and an ammo can full of reloads in my suitcase. Instead of my bag going behind the black curtain to be x-rayed, the x-ray for Terminal F was on the other side of a low curtain at the end of the counter, in full view. I handed my bag off to "the guy" who sent it thru. On the other side he hauled my bag up on the silver table, opened it with his TSA key, bypassed the gun case, and swabbed my ammo can. He put the swab in the machine, got a green light, put the can back with the "we opened your bag" slip, locked my bag, and sent it on while giving me a thumbs up.

I remember thinking 2 things at the time:
What TF were they swabbing for?
- and
Why TF didn't they find it?

Cripes...

[imashooter2]

I always wondered what they do if you fail a "residue test".

I mean, so what about residue? If you don't have any illegal items, what difference does it make?

They gave me a more detailed, but not strip search. Careful use of the wand and a pat down.