Re: Customs at La Romana
Bill is correct. They will usually just wave you through but occasionally, they will open your luggage and look at what you have.
I recently flew into La Romana (May 1999). It is the smallest airport I have ever flown into, with a single gate. There, I found customs to be much stricter than in the larger airports. In this particular case, our luggage was opened, scanned across the top, closed, and as we were on our way out the door, another customs inspector stopped us, kind of like, "Wait a minute. Where do you think YOU'RE going!" and made us return, where we were searched again, this time a thorough look. This was one of the few times we were traveling light, with no gifts, electronics, or meat products and the customs form reflected that (which they never read).
On the other hand, I found security to be lax. On the departure, the metal detector and X-ray machines were down and they just waved us through with no check at all into the gate area, a small class-room size room with rows of plastic chairs and a glass display case in the back where golf items, cigars, and liquor are sold.
Passing through US Customs (the return back to the USA) is much more daunting. I frequently get asked a lot of questions about my reasons for travel, luggage around the baggage claim is routinely sniffed by dogs, I have been strip searched on the whim of a customs agent, and luggage searches can get so involved they look for hidden compartments within luggage case handles.
Note too that US Treasury Agents routinely search passengers destined for the Dominican Republic. This search is done by selecting passengers at random (seemingly) as they board the aircraft in the USA. I have been searched 3 times (out of about 65) on flights bound for the DR, where they search my person and my carry-on, count all my money, and ask me a bunch of questions about the purpose of my trip, what I do for a living, and what I'm going to spend my money on once I get there. They write it all down, too. They are looking for money launderers.
Jim Hinsch JimHinsch@CSI.COM