Posted by Sudbury Northern Life Reporter Liz Fleming
Sarah met Sandra on the beach at the Caribbean resort where
they were both holidaying. After a shared snorkeling excursion
and some giddy nights at the disco, the two felt like old
friends, so when Sandra asked if Sarah would mind delivering a
gift to her aunt in Toronto, there wasn't a moment's
hesitation.
But the customs official who tore apart her bags in Canada
certainly gave Sarah reason to be seriously concerned when he
told her Sandra's beautifully wrapped package contained cocaine
and not the coffee she thought she was delivering.
Like Sarah, Don had no idea that he was setting himself up for
a security disaster when he took his prescription medication
out of its pharmacy-issued container and packed it in a
zip-locked plastic bag. The customs officials at the airport in
Tunisia took a dim view of what they considered to be illegal
narcotics. Without proof that the pills had been prescribed by
his doctor, Don was in serious trouble.
Jennifer was equally innocent of any evil intent when she
snapped a few shots of the naval vessels docked in the harbor
near her hotel. That made no difference to the government
official who saw the impromptu photo session, and followed
Jennifer to confiscate her camera. In some countries, military
and other government controlled areas are off-limits to
tourists and cannot be photographed, even from a distance. Ask
your tour guide to be sure.
Bill actually thought he was doing a good thing when he bought
the stone carving from the young man outside the famous shrine.
The kid looked stressed, as if he really needed the money. It
wasn't until Bill was told that he'd bought a piece of marble
chipped from the wall of the shrine and that exporting items
significant to another country's cultural heritage was against
the law, that he had any idea he'd committed a crime.
If you break the laws of the country you're vacationing in,
don't count on your Canadian citizenship, or your lack of
knowledge of the local rules or language to get you a
get-out-of-jail-free card. You could also find yourself
sentenced to far harsher penalties than anything you would ever
experience at home. It's worth noting that some countries
routinely sentence those convicted of drug possession to many
years of jail time, whippings, or even, in rare cases, to
death. It's scary, but true.
So what do you do if you're arrested while far from home? Get
in touch with the nearest Canadian government office
immediately. Although they will not be able to have your fine
or sentence reduced, the consular officials can contact your
family and friends, ensure that you receive fair treatment, and
provide a list of capable, local lawyers.  What happens
from there will be up to the judicial system of the country in
which you're being detained.
So what's your best protection from these legal travel
nightmares? Good judgment and plenty of information. If you're
not certain about what is and isn't allowed in a foreign
country - particularly when it comes to photographing people
and places of military, historical or religious importance -
ask. If you're planning to purchase an item you suspect might
not be allowed into Canada, check at
http://airs-sari.inspection.gc.ca
And if you're asked to bring anything home with you that you
didn't purchase or package yourself, play it safe and say
no.
