TSA confiscated my dessicant packs

[ArizSig]

I recently went to St. Maarten and Saba for a dive trip. I put my dessicant packs in a ziplock baggie and packed them in my checked luggage. When I opened my bag the dessicant packs were missing. My first thought was that I had forgotten to pack them. I vividly remembered putting them in the bag, but decided that I must of had a mental lapse because there wasn't any type of note in my bag indicating that TSA inspected it. I begged some dessicant packs from a friend so the trip went without problem.

When I got home I expected to find the bag of dessicant. I didn't. Now, almost a month later, I still haven't located the dessicant. I have to conclude that TSA took it, but why? Nothing else was missing from my bags, and they didn't leave their inspection notice.

There were plenty of opportunities for them to handle the bags as we flew through Phoenix, Dallas, Miami, San Juan and finally St. Maarten.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? I've decided in the future I will put the dessicant packs in my carry on. At least then I can explain what it is.

 

[CIBDiving]

I recently went to St. Maarten and Saba for a dive trip. I put my dessicant packs in a ziplock baggie and packed them in my checked luggage.

There were plenty of opportunities for them to handle the bags as we flew through Phoenix, Dallas, Miami, San Juan and finally St. Maarten.

Well it's either that or
did you here about the fat girls who were arrested for snorting 'Sweet n Low' ??
they thought it was Diet Coke.

 

[Kriterian]

Has anyone else had a similar experience? I've decided in the future I will put the dessicant packs in my carry on. At least then I can explain what it is.

I haven't had this experience yet but that's not suprising considering I just started diving and just started photography. I did have a suggestion though: Some of the TSA-approved locks have a red/green symbol indicator that shows you if your lock has been opened or not. I can't imagine them doing the search without leaving the notice though, but mistakes do happen.

 

[H2Andy]

please don't get me started on TSA (well, at least some of their people)


five minutes of emptying out my backpack. when all the contents are on the table,
the guy asks me, "Do you have a switchblade in here?" keep in mind the pack is
empty at this time.

i'm like... hello???

then he spends a solid thirty seconds looking over my dive computer.

"what is this?" (probably new at the job, can't be too hard on him)

"It's a dive computer"

"What do you use it for?"

"Ah.... to dive with?"

 

[Gilligan]

I always wait for TSA to scan my checked luggage then I lock it. I also use a couple of different colored zip ties so that I can tell if someone has opened the bags. Odds are if they did they won't have the right color zip ties to replace the ones they cut off.

 

[sharkbaitDAN]

A couple years back I was told by a TSA guy that silicone grease residue can set off their test for explosives when they swab a bag. I wonder if the dessicants might do the same, and they removed the dessicant to be on the safe side. When I travel with dive gear, I request they open it in front of me if they think they are going to need to open my bag.

 

[fdog]

I always wait for TSA to scan my checked luggage then I lock it. I also use a couple of different colored zip ties so that I can tell if someone has opened the bags. Odds are if they did they won't have the right color zip ties to replace the ones they cut off.

Wow! They let you do this?!? We are not so lucky.

Everywhere we go, we're not allowed to touch the bags after they x-ray them or open them.

All the best, James

 

[sharpenu]

TSA-

Thousands Standing Around

 

[phillybob]

i had a nut driver taken from my photo bag in miami last year. it was in my carry-on so i can sort of understand but what was i going to do, take the wings off in flight? i didn't think it was anything dangeous. when i shot film my lead lined pouch would always get me pulled out of line, even when i sent it through on its own.all these little inconveniences from 9/11 are all the more reason these jihadis should be shot in the streets like the dogs that they are.( no disrespect to dogs intended)

 

[Warren_L]

mo2vation sent me a large zip lock baggie full of dessicant packs back in January, wrapped in brown paper. It took over 2 months to arrive via USPS, and there was all sorts of tape and customs stickers all over the package. But it got through. Funny, huh, a bag full of powder getting inpected.