www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Just wanted to share my recent experience with Customs at SJO…

I was flying out of San Jose Monday evening on TACA (#604) to L.A.

Everything was normal at the ticketing counter…checked my bag and received my Boarding Pass.
When I was going into the boarding area for the flight, my carry-on was searched again by hand (which is normal). When I presented my Boarding Pass and Passport to the agent, she immediately got on the radio and called her supervisor. The supervisor looks at my Boarding Pass and shows me three small letters in the upper right hand corner…”SSS”. According to her, this means that I have been randomly chosen for “Selective Secondary Security”. I’m curious if anybody else has dealt with this.

I am asked to go with an armed agent to another location to have my checked baggage searched. Interesting feeling being walked through the terminal by a cop as people are watching us. Felt like an episode of Locked up Abroad.

We go downstairs by Gate 13, and there is my bag, along with five others, waiting to be opened and searched. Two agents open my bag and proceed to take Everything out. They tried to remove the insoles of my tennis shoes…went through the pockets of all my pants…even took off the top of my deodorant …very thorough…They also brought a dog by for a quick sniff…pero no problema.

They release me to go back upstairs. I get back in line for the carry-on hand search…I see the girl that first found the SSS on my Boarding Pass…She sees me and smiles, but doesn’t wave me through. I end up with another agent who asks for my Boarding Pass…sees the SSS…and immediately calls for her supervisor.

At this point, I’ve given up on trying to communicate in Spanish. In English, I tell her that I have already been downstairs (I even pointed out the cop who took me down.) The same supervisor shows up again, but she can’t recall having dealt with me 30 minutes earlier. Finally the cop comes over and reminds the supervisor that I have indeed been downstairs to have my bag searched.

Without an apology, I’m told to “pasa”. Kinda pissed off at this point, I grab a seat and wait for my row number to be called for boarding.

When we get on planes, we know they always check one thing before we’re allowed to board…yep…our Boarding Passes…It couldn’t happen again…could it? Ah hell, It’s Costa Rica baby.

I hand the agent my Boarding Pass…and predictably, he tells me to step out of line for a minute…without a pause, I point out the two security agents, the supervisor and two cops that all are aware that I have been thoroughly searched. Not impressed…I’m told it will only take a minute to check this out.

I am approached by a man in a suit…I’m guessing this guy is el jefe. He introduces himself as the Assistant Director of Airport Security and tells me that he would like to speak with me in private. I told him that I would be happy to speak with him as long as the plane doesn’t leave without me. He assures me that the plane will wait.

We go into a small office, and I am told to remove my shoes. A woman comes into the room dressed like a lab technician a takes my shoes out of the room. El jefe explains that they will be tested for “Dangerous residues”. He then proceeds to ask me the same questions they always ask…How long were you here? Where did you stay? What was the purpose of your visit? (I wonder if the condoms and lube they found in my baggage kinda gave my travel purpose away.)

El jefe is happy with my answers…the tech brings back my shoes with a printout…no “Dangerous residues”…although these are the same shoes that I wore many times in Del Rey…so I’m guessing that they were looking for a different type of “Dangerous residue” .

El jefe thanks me for my patience and wishes me a safe travels. I reappear at Gate 10 just in time to get on the plane…Homeward bound…finally. But first…”May I see your Boarding Pass and passport sir?”

Nastarovia,
-sport

_________________
I am a citizen of the World...
All mankind are my brethren...
To do good is my religion.
(Thomas Paine)

I always request a "full body cavity" search. But for some reason, they never give it to me! Sorry 67supersport. Couldn't help it. Seriously, that's kinda phucked up. Then again, welcome to Costa Rica. PURA VIDA !!

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You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

Indeed does happen in US also. If you ever get your Boarding pass and the letters SSS are printed on it ,you WILL be pulled and searched . Happened to me once and I was given the thorough screening in Denver. Only happened to me once though out of the 1000's of plane trips. So be courteous and patient and as long as you aren't doing anything illegal,you will be OK..

This has never happened to me leaving Costa Rica, but I was selected for secondary search of my checked bag when leaving to come back to Canada from my first trip to Colombia. Unfortunately, I don't recall if there was SSS on my boarding pass. I made it through security, but they paged me from the gate to be there while they searched my checked bag. Even plugged in my hair dryer to make sure it was in fact a working hair dryer. Checked every liquid that was packed & tapped my suitcase all over the inside looking for hidden compartments.

I wonder what causes them to put the SSS on your boarding pass...anyone know?

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I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelled of elderberries. Now go away, or I shall taunt you a second time!

Horrible experience.
I will bet Uncle Sam had a hand in that fiasco.
Probably our Homeland Security people told CR to tighten up, so they did.

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It is cheaper to pay now and get it over with.
It is also easier to get them to leave.

Ok, they take you downstairs, ok... You would think they would have sense enough to mark your boarding pass somehow to show you had been checked...

sss is usually given when you pay for ticket whithin the same week or you pay cash or you change it at last minute....byond that its random or the list...just be polite and nod and say yes mam and nothing else no chit chat they are trained to think that you have something to hide if you try and talk to them. your situation they were a little incompetent but hey its CR trying to be thorough what do you expect its a new thing to them.

Have had the random inspection myself. The full body search happened at SEA. Made last min change in flight. I guess that set off the bells. Did get to walk like Jackie Chan and Chris Rock afterwards. I think I am good for this years colon exam.

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May the force be with you my CRT Jedi.

^ You should have used the FORCE on them Obi-Wan...

Invariably when my ex-Colombiana and I would fly out of Bogota to the US, she would get flagged at security for a search and x-ray... After the third time they did this, she got pissed and told them that if they x-ray'd her one more time, she would glow in the dark...

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"Mongo only pawn in game of life"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3K6UmgJIOw

To fill in the gaps (so to speak)...
I bought my ticket back in July through TACA (like I do every visit).
No changes or cash payments...Must have been chosen randomly as the supervisor informed me.
Also, never saw anyone else from my flight downstairs.
There were three other people with me having their checked bags searched.
A Colombian couple and an Indian man in his early 20's
I'm white and 49 years...we were all very different...so It wasn't like we fit some sort of profile.
I still wonder how many get the SSS treatment.

Salud,
-sport

_________________
I am a citizen of the World...
All mankind are my brethren...
To do good is my religion.
(Thomas Paine)