I also think one has to distinguish between Customs and Security people. Years ago at PP airport coming in, Customs doing the suitcase search did try to purloin a few small items, under my nose. Didn't work because hawkeye here just held her hand out when they'd finished searching, & kept it held out until said purloined items were placed in it. I think the guy realised I was quietly determined, but could get noisily so if required :cheeky:.
My last time of leaving the DR was May/June 2007 from PP airport - my suitcase had shown up 'something dark' on the Xray and so prior to boarding, I was taken downstairs & the suitcase was brought from the aircraft. Security doing the search didn't attempt to steal anything - I offered my keys so they could unlock the case but the security man turned the lock to face me, so that I could do it. He was clearly only after locating the 'something dark' although they did bring round a female officer, I presume for a body search if required. They were obviously looking for drugs and drugs only, not any side benefits for themselves.
The 'something dark' btw was my 10 pounds of coffee for friends in UK. And although the security man would have been well within his rights in cutting each bag open to check, he merely shook them & felt them. Nice of him because otherwise by the time I got to the UK there would have been coffee everywhere BUT in the bags. We had been chatting in Spanish throughout & I think by then he had come to the conclusion I wasn't a mule of any sort. Throughout all of this I never once got the impression that they were after stealing anything from my case. They probably didn't trust the baggage handlers though because security were insistent that I should relock the case after the search.
I see the OP of this thread never came back to give details. Really can't expect to be taken too seriously if they're not prepared to supply info.
My last time of leaving the DR was May/June 2007 from PP airport - my suitcase had shown up 'something dark' on the Xray and so prior to boarding, I was taken downstairs & the suitcase was brought from the aircraft. Security doing the search didn't attempt to steal anything - I offered my keys so they could unlock the case but the security man turned the lock to face me, so that I could do it. He was clearly only after locating the 'something dark' although they did bring round a female officer, I presume for a body search if required. They were obviously looking for drugs and drugs only, not any side benefits for themselves.
The 'something dark' btw was my 10 pounds of coffee for friends in UK. And although the security man would have been well within his rights in cutting each bag open to check, he merely shook them & felt them. Nice of him because otherwise by the time I got to the UK there would have been coffee everywhere BUT in the bags. We had been chatting in Spanish throughout & I think by then he had come to the conclusion I wasn't a mule of any sort. Throughout all of this I never once got the impression that they were after stealing anything from my case. They probably didn't trust the baggage handlers though because security were insistent that I should relock the case after the search.
I see the OP of this thread never came back to give details. Really can't expect to be taken too seriously if they're not prepared to supply info.