Jim, our duty free limits are different because typically we are out of the country for less than 24 hours. But given that, we are still subject to the same scrutiny that everyone else is subject to. I have seen them make examples of both revenue passengers and flight crew members alike. I have seen crew members deported from foreign countries at the will of immigration of that country, and often because they felt your were insulting. I have seen crew members arrested. And I have seen crew members detained for hours without explanation. Customs and immigration don't report to anyone locally, it is their domain. Your lawyer can't even help you until they formally charge you and due process doesn't apply until you enter the country. And here is the key, you haven't entered the country until they release you. People take this all too lightly. They have come down on us because we didn't have the Rx for the medicines we carry. And...they hold to the letter of the law, that they must be labeled, in the original container, and contain an Rx...and get this, only the quantity necessary for days of travel. I don't know about you, but my insurance company won't pay for duplicate Rx for me on anything, so I have one, and I'll be damned if I am dividing them up and forgetting what they are at the prices I have to pay for some of them. I travel for a living, so when I do, and I don't work when sick. But I carry what I may need in case I have an issue, from heartburn to other issues. They treat over the counter with the same scrutiny as Rx. And just because you can legally buy some of this stuff without an Rx out of the country, they will require an Rx here. I don't push it Jim, and for good reason, I have seen them do their worst. And the problem is, nothing you say can intimidate them or change their minds, they pretty much look at everyone like they are a suspect. They ask us the same interview questions that they ask any traveler. It is just not a game. All of that said, they go to extremes sometimes when they know that a problem exists. I have heard of crew members shopping outside the duty free allowances and bringing in items for retail here and doing it regularly. When they see a pattern, they start cracking down. My recommendation is know the limits and live within them. Playing dumb won't get you very far, they will confiscate any exceedance and many times they will take all of the item, even the allowable, because you attempted to exceed the limit. I don't think that is legal myself, but I have seen the do it. I once saw a girl bring back and declare "wine". As a crew member she was entitled to only one liter of alcohol, including any perfumes, she had two bottles and the agent asked her how many. She said two, he sent her to secondary screening. They destroyed both bottles...after she accused them of taking them for themselves. She cried...and was then branded basically and stopped for secondary screening from then on. I don't know if she ever got out of that. Secondary screening is possible anytime, and they will X-ray and physically inspect all of your luggage and can even do a strip search and MORE! If they suspect you of smuggling, no orifice is out of reach. You do not want to be on this list.
Some of the above is when they are being super scrutinizing, it isn't that bad all the time, but they go on extremes from time to time.
