topic Re: 5th American arrested & detained in Turks and Caicos in Community Chat

5th American arrested & detained in Turks and Caicos

San Antonio Gal — Mon, 20 May 2024 12:18:28 GMT

What do you think about these tourists that cannot leave Turks & Caicos because of ammunition accidentally being left in their luggage?

These people face up to 12 years in prison. Yeah - they should have been more careful, but 12 years is rather harsh. I feel bad that they're stuck over there until their trial.

Why on earth are they packing luggage and carry-ons without checking it first?

Re: 5th American arrested & detained in Turks and Caicos

LindaSal — Mon, 20 May 2024 12:29:30 GMT

I do feel bad for these people. This just makes me want to stay away from the Caribbean islands more and more. Beside the fact that crime is also rampant on many islands, especially focused on tourists. That being said, yes you have to check your luggage to be sure there is nothing in it before you leave! If it was me I would not be using the same bag anyway as I would be frantic about residue showing up on one of those machines, yikes!

Re: 5th American arrested & detained in Turks and Caicos

catter70 — Mon, 20 May 2024 12:31:18 GMT

How did they get passed our TSA here with ammo in their luggage?

Re: 5th American arrested & detained in Turks and Caicos

Sooner — Mon, 20 May 2024 12:41:02 GMT

Ammo can go in checked baggage I believe. Not in carry on.

Re: 5th American arrested & detained in Turks and Caicos

occasionalrain — Mon, 20 May 2024 13:12:20 GMT

I have a bit of sympathy for the first one, but those since were forewarned and it was their own fault.

I feel the same about the ones who take drugs to Russia and guns to airports. It's not difficult or time consuming to search one's carryon bag for illegal items.

Re: 5th American arrested & detained in Turks and Caicos

sunsetbeach — Mon, 20 May 2024 13:33:47 GMT

I have zero sympathy for them. Please, they forgot the ammunition was in their bags? If you want to roam around with this kind of stuff, stay in the US where its legal.

Re: 5th American arrested & detained in Turks and Caicos

Krimpette — Mon, 20 May 2024 14:11:37 GMT

I don't want to travel to any country where I feel the need to carry a gun with me.

Re: 5th American arrested & detained in Turks and Caicos

Still Raining — Mon, 20 May 2024 15:09:11 GMT

Break the country's law, pay the penalty. How dumb can a person be?

Re: 5th American arrested & detained in Turks and Caicos

Mz iMac — Mon, 20 May 2024 15:15:01 GMT

@San Antonio Gal wrote:
12 years is rather harsh.

@San Antonio Gal By your standards, not theirs.

Some Asian countries you get lashed for vandalism.

Some Arab countries you get your hands chopped off for stealing.

I have no sympathy for anyone that breaks the law & sent to prison in countries not their own.

~~I see **new** episodes of Locked Up Abroad coming next season.~~

Re: 5th American arrested & detained in Turks and Caicos

beckyb1012 — Mon, 20 May 2024 15:16:34 GMT

With the first man I can see where this happened by accident but so many more in such a short time seems very odd.

Re: 5th American arrested & detained in Turks and Caicos

Lisa now in AZ — Mon, 20 May 2024 15:18:57 GMT

I do NOT feel sorry for these people at all. Not even the first one. How does anyone carry ammunition in their suitcase and not know it? That would appear that those gun owners are not very responsible if they don't know where their ammunition is at all times.

I don't classify this as "an accident." To me, it is just lazy and careless. And, after the first man was arrested and this appeared in all of the news media, I would also add that the rest of the people were just plain stupid. Why would anyone going on vacation anywhere, but especially Turks & Caicos NOT go through their luggage with a fine-toothed comb before leaving the US?

Twelve years IS high, but again, all of these people knew it. And spending government resources trying to get them out is another waste of time and money.

Re: 5th American arrested & detained in Turks and Caicos

beckyb1012 — Mon, 20 May 2024 15:25:48 GMT

I do feel like our government will get involved and get them all home and hopefully everyone else will do better when traveling. It just may take awhile before this all done and over.

Re: 5th American arrested & detained in Turks and Caicos

Mz iMac — Mon, 20 May 2024 15:38:44 GMT

@beckyb1012 wrote:
I do feel like our government will get involved

@beckyb1012 That rarely happens. Your family must know someone who knows someone who knows someone up the ladder who knows someone up the ladder of command who has the ear of the person involved in prison exchanges and/or Americans in foreign prison release ~~Homeland Security & CIA.~~

Get the picture?

Re: 5th American arrested & detained in Turks and Caicos

Kachina624 — Mon, 20 May 2024 15:50:45 GMT

@Krimpette wrote:
I don't want to travel to any country where I feel the need to carry a gun with me.

@Krimpette. You don't have to. You're already in one.

Re: 5th American arrested & detained in Turks and Caicos

cindyNC — Mon, 20 May 2024 15:53:31 GMT

My BF and I had a discussion on this. He said the bullets are often quite small and can be missed in luggage. I think that's a crock and extremely careless. If you are visiting a country, you need to be aware of the rules/regulations prior to going there. Many of these places also do not allow any camoflage clothing other than that worn by their military.

We cruise Carnival frequently. The pot smoking got so bad that they now have dogs sniffing carry ons at the ports and a few dogs actually stationed on the larger ships. Stay at home if you want to party this way and quit ruining it for the rest of us!!!!!

Re: 5th American arrested & detained in Turks and Caicos

Isobel Archer — Mon, 20 May 2024 15:57:36 GMT

@Still Raining wrote:
Break the country's law, pay the penalty. How dumb can a person be?

Well since that often doesn't apply here, I guess some think it's universal.

Re: 5th American arrested & detained in Turks and Caicos

chrystaltree — Mon, 20 May 2024 16:10:25 GMT

I don't have an ounce of sympathy for them and I'm sceptical about the I fight know it was in my suitcase claims. Especially now they so many others have been caught and arrested. Yes, 12 years is a long time if they get convicted but it serves as a deterrent. They don't want their island to turn into a gun store for Americans to sell guns to local thugs.

Re: 5th American arrested & detained in Turks and Caicos

KKlim — Mon, 20 May 2024 16:27:01 GMT

As others have said, I don’t understand how this got past the TSA. The last time I flew, they were aggressive checking my luggage and even pulled out a brand new bottle of lotion that exceeded the 4 ounces!

Re: 5th American arrested & detained in Turks and Caicos

Kachina624 — Mon, 20 May 2024 16:31:40 GMT

I resented the US government rushing in to rescue Brittany Griner from being imprisoned in Russia for attempting to smuggle cannabis oil. The money and resources wasted on someone who was clearly guilty of violating another country's laws.

Re: 5th American arrested & detained in Turks and Caicos

Kachina624 — Mon, 20 May 2024 16:52:18 GMT

@KKlim wrote:
As others have said, I don’t understand how this got past the TSA. The last time I flew, they were aggressive checking my luggage and even pulled out a brand new bottle of lotion that exceeded the 4 ounces!

@KKlim. It was probably in checked luggage.