Aruba Customs Screening

[Andrea J.]

My friend Louie (a woman) arrived in AUA yesterday.

She messaged me yesterday and then also posted on FB the same as what she messaged me.

Aruba Customs........the very last thing the arriving passengers go thru before stepping outside...........were scanning and going thru bags full tilt!

She had liquor and cigarettes taken away...........apparently she will pay duty on her departure in 3 weeks and get these items back.

She told me she watched folks with frozen meat have their stuff taken away and it was tossed.

She said that people were outraged and quite verbal.

We spoke back and forth about knowing that day was coming and that the good old days were probably over.

Sealed dry items were ignored. I guess that dry items would be classified as cookies, crackers, cereal, bagels etc...

My luggage will be considerably lighter minus my.......pot roast, chili, etc.

Boy I hate cooking and I hate cooking in Aruba even more.

Looks like Paul will be doing some grilling

[yefim8]

thank you for heads up.hope they,ll get tired soon and think where money coming from before getting people upset

[WaltVB]

We'll have to see if it was a one time thing, like maybe they were looking for something in particular.

[cpjones]

Oops.... well, rules are rules....... Maybe it was generated by the restaurant association..... just thinkin'.....!

[robin]

Interesting. I think they are more likely to check when it is quieter than when it is busy.

[Sue M.]

My friend Louie (a woman) arrived in AUA yesterday.

She messaged me yesterday and then also posted on FB the same as what she messaged me.

Aruba Customs........the very last thing the arriving passengers go thru before stepping outside...........were scanning and going thru bags full tilt!

She had liquor and cigarettes taken away...........apparently she will pay duty on her departure in 3 weeks and get these items back.

She told me she watched folks with frozen meat have their stuff taken away and it was tossed.

She said that people were outraged and quite verbal.

We spoke back and forth about knowing that day was coming and that the good old days were probably over.

Sealed dry items were ignored. I guess that dry items would be classified as cookies, crackers, cereal, bagels etc...

My luggage will be considerably lighter minus my.......pot roast, chili, etc.

Boy I hate cooking and I hate cooking in Aruba even more.

Looks like Paul will be doing some grilling

Thanks for the information. I think I will not be bringing any meat next visit.

[AUA1989]

I saw that post on FB! What alarmed me was not that they were taking the frozen food, but that they were going through bags; upon arrival! I've NEVER even been asked what's in my bag.

If it was an isolated incident like Walt said, I hope it didn't "open their eyes" to everything people have been bringing in. Hopefully they don't start checking all the time.

We haven't gone for longer than 11 days, and normally we don't have a kitchen/kitchenette. Even if we took a 2 week or longer trip, I wouldn't mind spending a couple hours making a week's worth of meals (and like Andrea I hate cooking more than anything too).

[Traceyd14]

She had liquor and cigarettes taken away...........apparently she will pay duty on her departure in 3 weeks and get these items back.

To clarify, was she over the allowable limits for liquor and cigarettes?

[gaby]

usually homeland checks our boxes and leaves a note and then aruban customs sees the note and waives us through.

[Andrea J.]

absolutely she was over the allowance.
she brings cigarettes for others as well as herself and got caught.

but in her posting and in the message to me she mentioned that folks bringing frozen meat were having the meat taken and tossed.

here is the link to the aruba customs regs. https://www.douane.aw/en/

To clarify, was she over the allowable limits for liquor and cigarettes?