# malaga airport security



## moonman (Oct 1, 2012)

has anyone had the following experience at malaga airport. i was travelling back to ireland today to attend a wedding tomorrow, i was asked to open my hand luggage by the woman security officer who was looking at the monitor. she asked me about cigarettes which were in my bag . i was carrying 200 silk cut which i bought last week on a visit to gibraltar and i also had 200 which i bought in my local tabac in los boliches. i bought these for a friend here in ireland who smokes them , i dont smoke myself. the officer called the civil guard and after a short discussion i was told everything was ok. as i was closing my hand luggage bag the security woman said " next time buy spanish cigarettes you know you are only allowed 200 english " to which i replied i declared them at the spanish border after i left gibraltar. i thought these security people were only supposed to look for sharp items/guns/ knives etc for the safety of fellow travellers , i didn't think they were to act like customs people . has anyone got any clear definition of their role .


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## Dunpleecin (Dec 20, 2012)

I would have thought that they all sing off the same hymn sheet regarding contraband and security and if they saw you had 400 cigarettes, then they'd see that and maybe ask where you got them and why you had so many. Afterall, if you'd bought all 400 in Gib and hadn't declared them at the Gib border then you were potentially smuggling! As it was 200 were duty free from Gib and 200 were duty paid locally, so there would be no problem.

Put it this way, if you were a security officer there and you saw a bag full of Rolex watches what would you do? Just assume someone liked watches and not bother? Or ask the question?


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## moonman (Oct 1, 2012)

the main points i am making is ,, (1) i did not think they could read print on cigarette cartons. ( 2 ) i had 2 cartons one with english and one with spanish print . before 9/11 these people were not doing this job. i did not buy 400 cigs in gibraltar and, i think there is a big difference between a bag of rolex watches and 2 cartons which are clearly identifiable by the different languages on the them . but maybe all she saw was 400 cigarettes . incidentally i always buy 3 cartons in the local tabac when i am travelling back to ireland for this person and i never have been asked to open my hand luggage, which leads me to think that she could read the print on the boxes , so in my opinion she should have known that one was duty paid and one was duty free and i did declare them at the spanish border when leaving gibraltar.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Hhhmmm, I dont know what the rules are anymore - they change, but what I do is put cartons (several ) in my hold luggage and then empty a carton or two, so that the packets are lose in my hand luggage. They seem ok with that!!!?

I seem to have more trouble with my contact lense solution  - even though its the right size??!

Jo xxxx


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## Dunpleecin (Dec 20, 2012)

moonman said:


> the main points i am making is ,, (1) i did not think they could read print on cigarette cartons. ( 2 ) i had 2 cartons one with english and one with spanish print . before 9/11 these people were not doing this job. i did not buy 400 cigs in gibraltar and, i think there is a big difference between a bag of rolex watches and 2 cartons which are clearly identifiable by the different languages on the them . but maybe all she saw was 400 cigarettes . incidentally i always buy 3 cartons in the local tabac when i am travelling back to ireland for this person and i never have been asked to open my hand luggage, which leads me to think that she could read the print on the boxes , so in my opinion she should have known that one was duty paid and one was duty free and i did declare them at the spanish border when leaving gibraltar.


And breathe...

Sounds like you're having a bit of a rant because someone decided to do some checking and potentially caused you some inconvenience. I can't for the life of me think why that would be a problem for you. It certainly wouldn't bother me in the slightest. I always allow plenty of time if flying anywhere in case of unforseen delays for whatever reason. Either there's more to it that you're actually saying or you're trying to make some point which I can't fathom. The monitors are quite sophisticated now but whenever I've seen them I've not seen any writing on them. they're x ray machines after all. And smuggling is smuggling, whether it is **** or Rolex watches. My point was that whilst there is a great big difference in value and quantity, the actual principle is the same. Security/customs would still act whatever it was. And lets be thankful that if they weren't doing it before 9/11 that they are now.


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## VFR (Dec 23, 2009)

moonman said:


> the main points i am making is ,, (1) i did not think they could read print on cigarette cartons. ( 2 ) i had 2 cartons one with english and one with spanish print . before 9/11 these people were not doing this job. i did not buy 400 cigs in gibraltar and, i think there is a big difference between a bag of rolex watches and 2 cartons which are clearly identifiable by the different languages on the them . but maybe all she saw was 400 cigarettes . incidentally i always buy 3 cartons in the local tabac when i am travelling back to ireland for this person and i never have been asked to open my hand luggage, which leads me to think that she could read the print on the boxes , so in my opinion she should have known that one was duty paid and one was duty free and i did declare them at the spanish border when leaving gibraltar.


Just a nosey jobsworth IMO.


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## moonman (Oct 1, 2012)

Dunpleecin said:


> And breathe...
> 
> Sounds like you're having a bit of a rant because someone decided to do some checking and potentially caused you some inconvenience. I can't for the life of me think why that would be a problem for you. It certainly wouldn't bother me in the slightest. I always allow plenty of time if flying anywhere in case of unforseen delays for whatever reason. Either there's more to it that you're actually saying or you're trying to make some point which I can't fathom. The monitors are quite sophisticated now but whenever I've seen them I've not seen any writing on them. they're x ray machines after all. And smuggling is smuggling, whether it is **** or Rolex watches. My point was that whilst there is a great big difference in value and quantity, the actual principle is the same. Security/customs would still act whatever it was. And lets be thankful that if they weren't doing it before 9/11 that they are now.


the point of my post in the first place is , i wasn't doing anything illegal nor was i smuggling. the airport was very busy ,and i posed the question to find out if any of the regular posters have noted a change of policy . by the way i was not inconvenied at all, as this happened at 9-50 approx and my flight wat at 12-15 so i had plenty of time . your suggestion that there could be more to it is very widely off the mark. i am nearer to 70 than 60 and i have never been inside a police station in my life apart getting a police officer to sign a passport form. i have been over and back to malaga airport for more than 40 years and i have never been asked to show anything nor have i ever been asked a question at any airport in the world. i simply asked the question to the forum to see if any other people have a similar experence. as you may or may not know gibraltat has a population of 3o,ooo people and they get 10,000 visitors a day , most of them uk people and from what i could see in the shops most people were buying cigarettes and spirits, there is a border check and as most of the people are holidaymakers i am wondering if many of them were asked to show their packet of cigarettes,.. i think the whole point of the exercise was to let people know that they should buy their cigarettes in spanish shops. when i was leaving she said" next time buy spanish cigarettes" i think she actuall was saying buy your cigarettes in spanish shops and not gibraltar.


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