Anal Retentive Ozz customs
After a long overnight flight into Syd, I had an exasperating experience with a customs officer. My skin colour must have something to do with it. I had declared some prescription medicine; in the full open view I was berated loudly for bringing in " drugs ". I told the officer, " sir, not DRUGS, only my medicine ". " WHAT medicine, WHY DO YOU NEED MEDICINE? ARE YOU SICK, YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE SICK YOU CANNOT FLY..YOU ARE DANGEROUS, YOU WILL KILL PEOPLE " came to reply. Wow! What a spectacle, a whole group of memsahibs glared at me, some covering their mouths in gasps.
I wearily explained as I had written " prescription medicine " for cholesterol control and betaloc for elevated high pressure. I surely needed my betaloc then dealing with such an ass. He called for two other officers who came and search through my bags, looked over my medicine. In the ever loud voice ( louder than Bollywood movie dialogue! ), he demanded if the medicine has my name and doctor's name. I replied only my name and that of the pharmacy, but no doctor's name. Then they found issue that my name had faded from the name label, so didn't match exactly with my passport and ID. " WAS IT SOME OTHER FAMILY MEMBER"S? WHY DO YOU NEED IT? PILOTS DO NOT TAKE MEDICINE? ARE YOU SURE IT"S BETALOC IN THE TABS", they bellowed. I was then asked if I had a letter from my doctor, I said no and asked them why not check with the Airport doctor if they thought that pilots are not allowed betaloc. " WE ASK THE QUESTIONS HERE, WE WILL DO THE NECESSARY, YOU JUST ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS!!"
Then they took me to my room, emptied all my stuff onto a table, comb through my stuff and then ordered me to repack my things. After a long while whislt they chit chatted, they " ADVISE ME " to have clear labels, doctor's name and type of prescription ( not brand names like zocor, betaloc ). I was let off with nary an apology or thank you for my cooperation.
In detention room were other Asian/Oriental pax subjected to humiliating searches; junkie looking caucasians amongst our pax were just waved off politely outside. I am not saying that they should be targetted, but if random checks are the norm why the disparity in ethnic composition of those searched?