Originally Posted by
G-CPTN
AFAIK, Customs is a formality.
Nope. Not since it became part of DHS. If someone dropped the ball at JFK then some heads need to roll.
It cannot be inferred that passengers or their possessions were illegal.
yes it can. That is the presumption under which the entire system is set up: you are suspect, show me what you've got or you can't enter the country.
You've been in the air travel business for how long?
Whether or not that (possessions and persons being illegal) is true doubtless boils down to cases, in terms of each passenger so neglected.