Security at Manchester

[robtheblade]

A couple of weeks ago I went through security at Manchester. They are not too bad if you kowtow down to them, but this time they really annoyed me.

I went through the scanner and set off the alarm. When he found a bulge in my front trouser pocket, no not that, he asked me to empty it. I had about a thousand pounds in £20 notes. He asked how much there was, I told him it was none of his business. He said it was, took me to one side, gave me the biggest shake down I have ever had and then made me count it out.

Now we all know how they like to think they are the last line of defence against the terrorists and don't we know it, but what would have happened if I had refused to count it out?

[Dit]

I think its more a Customs issue and the security guy was trying to figure out if you had more than a limit (what it is/if there is one I do not know) and therefore customs would need to be informed/summoned.

Maybe s/he was jumped up...

[Final 3 Greens]

Robtheblade

As from 15th June 2007, people who are either travelling from an EU country to a non-EU country, or are entering an EU country from a non-EU country and are carrying 10,000 Euros or more (or the equivalent in other currencies) will be required to declare the cash at the place of their departure from, or arrival in the EU country to the competant authority of that country.

So if you were going to a non EU country, with more than the limit, you have fill a form and declare to HMRC. If not, you are committing a criminal offence. This law is part of the crackdown on money laundering.

But I don't see what it has got to do with a security screener performing his normal duties.

I a not a lawyer, so don't rely on this view, but it sounds as if this guy effectively performed a citizen's arrest on you, but that is not lawful (as far as I know) unless you have actually committed an offence. Only a constable can arrest on suspicion of committing an offence as far as i know.

I might be inclined to write a very polite letter to the airport management and ask them to clarify why this happened.

[Avman]

I would have immediately requested a supervisor/manager, or even a customs official, and asked them on what grounds should I declare how much cash I'm carrying if it's less than 10,000 quid. A thousand pounds in 20s is a considerably smaller bundle than 10,000 pounds. Some really do go way beyond their authority.

[montag]

I recall something similar happening at a US airport a while ago. Someone carrying a few thousand dollars in cash after fundraising for the Ron Paul Presidential campaign was interrogated by the TSA and police, none of whom could explain exactly what their powers were.

[Skipness One Echo]

Now we all know how they like to think they are the last line of defence against the terrorists and don't we know it, but what would have happened if I had refused to count it out?

Insist he puts it through the XRAY if he wants to be sure and call for a supervisor. That would have been my approach.

[Malone]

This actually happened to a passenger I was dealing with some years ago. I was escorting him back into baggage reclaim for him to get something he had left in his case and needed for the flight. We went through the Staff Entrance and Security frisked him and found an envelope containg a not insignificant amount of cash. They just called HMRC who asked him a couple of questions and then let him on his way. I assume that the Security people have a duty to report such things to HMRC. Also, HMRC would be at the boarding gates for certain flights, checking passsengers for large amounts of cash. I presume that they have their reasons.

[hotmetal]

It is none of his business but typical of jumped up jobsworths in the UK.

[TSR2]

I told him it was none of his business.

Perhaps a bit of diplomacy may have helped.

[Avitor]

I might have (quietly) told the security person that it was my holiday money and that it was a grand, or whatever.

I would have done that in the hope that my transit might have been a little smoother, after all, airport security clearance is only a tiny part of a passenger's life.

[montag]

A thousand pounds in 20s is a considerably smaller bundle than 10,000 pounds.

To an airport security brain donor on the minimum wage, it's probably more money than they have ever seen in cash before. It's understandable that it would raise their suspicions. Plus there's the opportunity to play the hero and catch and interrogate some terrible criminal (who maybe is off to lose it all in Las Vegas or just does not trust the banking system).

Unless they have been specifically trained it is unlikely they are aware of what cash movements must be reported, and are just acting on their own initiative.

Polite but firm is the way to deal with them. Asking for and writing down names can cause them to stop and think for a moment as well.

[pwalhx]

I regularly go through security at Manchester.

I take the attitude these people are doing their job and engage them in light conversation. Generally they respond, sometimes they don't, if they don't I shut up and let them get on with their job. If I am selected for a search so be it I let them get on with it. Strangely enough I have little or no problem ever with them.

I would guess if I was doing my job and someone said to me 'it's none of my business' I would be less co-operative.

[Idle Thrust]

What has this got to do with security?

They are already playing "Breathalizer Cops", now they are Customs also?

[airwave45]

Jumped up little ( he was too ) gype at manchester escorted me onto the plane and told the CC I was drunk and no more whisky for me !
Ar5e . . . . Last time I looked it was not an offence to have had a drink before a flight . .

given that it's a weekly bane of my life dealing with these idiots, it's more than a "minor" part of being pax.

some scanners you leave the laptop in the bag, some you take it out, random shoe removal, if they are not happily talking to each other and ignoring everything going through the scanners they are a right pain in the ...

[Final 3 Greens]

pwalhx

I would guess if I was doing my job and someone said to me 'it's none of my business' I would be less co-operative.

But if you were doing something that you didn't have authority to do, then you wouldn't be doing your job, would you?

[robtheblade]

I go through Manchester several times a year and on the whole find security not too bad. I do know what the currency regulations are and would not consider breaching them.

What annoyed me was why he should have asked the question when it was obvious that it was just a few hundred pounds.

[BUGS/BEARINGS/BOXES]

http://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/m...t/YourFeedback

[Albert Square]

Not long ago I passed through Manchester. After passing through the metal detector and the friskers, I walked towards the exit. I put my hands in my pockets. I was told to take my hands out of my pockets. Why?

[Rollingthunder]

Too many officious little trumped up rent-a-cops in this world. I would have told him to go to hell, it's none of his business, and if I missed my flight, no worries, staff travel.

If you don't make a stand against absolute stupidity, it will only get worse. This applies in many scenarios.

[montag]

I put my hands in my pockets. I was told to take my hands out of my pockets. Why?

Well it makes you look slovenly and you've obviously awoken someone's inner Drill Sergeant.

Were you called a 'horrible little man' as well. That would have made my day.