Bad experience with Amsterdam Customs coming from Phuket

Hi guys,

Just want some feedback on this one. I will add below the email I have sent to Schipol Airport Authorities and the Irish Embassy in the Netherlands.

To summarise:

I had been in Thailand and Cambodia and was travelling back to Ireland from BKK via Amsterdam.

My 02.25am flight from BKK was delayed by 1 陆 hours.

I arrived in Schipol Airport, Amsterdam after an eleven hour flight at about 10.35am.

My ongoing flight to Dublin was at 13.10.

I decided to go landside for a cigarette and some air (how鈥檚 that for Irish logic!)

I was stopped going through customs and my hand baggage was searched.

I had a small drum from Cambodia and four Seiko watches, 3 of which had been bought at both Amsterdam and BKK Duty Free and the other at a department store in Thailand 鈥?all originals, not copies.

The customs officer had bad English; but I eventually gathered that there was a problem with the drum and the watches.

After going away for half an hour, he came back and told me that the skin on the drum was from a python and was illegal.

I had asked the guy at the market where I had bought it if it was real; he had said that it was plastic. I鈥檓 not too familiar with snakes, being Irish (ha ha), and I didn鈥檛 examine it closely; it had only cost about $3.00.

I had bought it along with many other souvenirs, put it in the case, and hadn鈥檛 looked at it again for the duration of my holiday.

I would NEVER condone the traffic of wildlife; I am respectful of the environment.

I tried to explain all of this to the guy, and told him to take the drum away, but he wouldn鈥檛 listen to me, or maybe couldn鈥檛 understand English. I don鈥檛 know.

He also said that I would have to pay a fine of 鈧?40.00.

Also, 19% duty had to be paid on 3 of the Seiko watches. Total 鈧?4.99.

(I will admit here that, foolishly, I had not kept the receipts, so perhaps mea culpa).

I was shattered after an airport delay and an eleven hour flight.

He asked me to sign a form that was completely printed in Dutch.

I was aware enough to be most uncomfortable signing anything official looking that I could not read, let alone understand. I said this to the guy but he ignored me.

I was ordered to sign the form.

The drum was taken away (I was glad to see the back of it, to be honest)

I was concerned about missing my flight now, as the guy kept disappearing for 15 鈥?20 minutes at a time鈥?I reminded him of the time of my ongoing flight, but again, I was ignored.

At about 12.40 he told me 鈥淚f you pay now, it will be over,.

I was exhausted and concerned about missing my flight, so I had to go to a currency exchange, change travellers鈥?cheques, and return and pay a total of 鈧?04.99.

It was now 12.45 and, even though I ran through the airport, I missed my 13.10 flight. They would not allow me to board at 13.00.

I was very fortunate to get on the next flight at 14.30, but that also involved a lot of organising (please bear in mind I have had no sleep for about 22 hours at this point in time, and I am craving a cigarette ha ha).

I am very unhappy at the way this was handled. I would really appreciate any input from you experienced travellers! I am not saying I am right or wrong here; I know very little about Customs regulations. I would just appreciate your views on this.

I have been to Amsterdam many times, but this incident has left a bad taste in my mouth, to be honest.

Below is a copy of the email I have sent to Schipol. I have the three forms I was given, one of which I signed. All are completely in Dutch (double Dutch??).

Thanks in advance,

Joe

Dear Sir,

Please forward this email to The Customs and Excise Department in Holland.

On 29th September 2008 I arrived at Schipol Airport at about 10.30. I was in transit from Bangkok to Dublin. My flight to Dublin was at 13.10

I went to exit the airport and was detained by one of your customs officers.

My bag was searched. The customs officer spoke bad English.

He took a small drum from my case.

After a conversation in broken English, that I had some difficulty understanding, he told me I had to pay a fine on the drum as it was made from a snake skin.

I explained that I did not realise it was snake skin; when I purchased it in Cambodia, I was told it was plastic.

I was also told I had to pay 19% tax on three Seiko watches I had bought in Thailand; two in Duty Free and one in a department store.

I paid a fine of 鈧?40.00 and tax of 鈧?4.99. I requested that the drum be confiscated.

I was ordered to sign a document that I could not read or understand; it was written in Dutch.

I was not offered the services of an interpreter and I could not understand the Customs Officer at all times, as he spoke quite bad English.

I was detained until 12.45 and subsequently missed my flight at 13.10.

I am not happy with this, and I would like a written explanation of the events. To be written in the English language, please.

Please forward this email to the relevant authority.

I look forward to your prompt reply.

Thank You.

Mr. Joe XXXXXXXX

Bad experience with Amsterdam Customs coming from Phuket

Good luck Joe on any response you may get. Was once stopped at Heathrow and had nothing in my baggage to declare and customs officer flicking through my passport made sarcastic comments about me going to exotic countries. Went off to make two phone calls, without telling me why and just came back and slapped passport in front of me. Bad or rude customs officer can leave sour taste after good holiday.

Bad experience with Amsterdam Customs coming from Phuket

Unfortunately, you picked a bad place to get a cigarette. Schipol customs is notorious for wanting to assess duty and fines on travelers for trivial items. We worked with a Dutch businessman for several years and he used to throw away packaging, etc to make everything look old and used.

Unfortunately, without receipts for the watches, you have no recourse I think.

I knew smoking was getting expensive - but thats ridiculous Joe!!

Sounds a bit over the top to me also.

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