# items stolen by customs in manila airport



## GregShires (Oct 31, 2013)

I've had some friends tell me that when going thru customs in Manila airport that they have had thing stolen out of their luggage by customs such as gifts they were bringing for family, like candy, purfumes, nike shoes. Any advice or info would be appreciated as I am making my first trip there in June and also bringing gifts for my wife to be and her family. Thanks


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## _shel (Mar 2, 2014)

I've had this happen in various airports around the world. Its not that unusual. Only thing different is in western countries they take expensive stuff, in 'poorer' countries they take the strangest things like the £10 gift for someone. 

Keep it in your hand luggage if you want to keep it and properly secure your suitcases. Straps and decent locks.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

GregShires said:


> I've had some friends tell me that when going thru customs in Manila airport that they have had thing stolen out of their luggage by customs such as gifts they were bringing for family, like candy, purfumes, nike shoes. Any advice or info would be appreciated as I am making my first trip there in June and also bringing gifts for my wife to be and her family. Thanks


When I was living at home in the US I made the trip/flight many times from both San Francisco and Los Angeles.
I've never had a problem with customs in the Philippines. I have found them not only friendly but very professional at all times.
If this has happened to someone, it would be a very rare occurrence in my opinion.


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## pronse (Apr 3, 2009)

Never happened to me in all my of my trips to Philis??

If you mean by customs those who check (rarely) your bags before going out, then you'd see them checking it?? But if it's luggage handlers, you can't stop that and it happens any where in the world.
I would advise you to lock your checked in bags using an NTSA approved locks (they have their logo on it too) and check in. I did see a note inside my bags that they have opened it when I went to Philis this time and last time when I went to Australia, but nothing was stolen?
Both trips were from LA.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

An aquatence had a few dollar bills stolen at Manila that were hidden in a sock inside his check-in luggage. I always put anything of value in my cabin luggage.


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## simonsays (Feb 11, 2009)

since I figured out terminal 1 is robbery central and been taking Philippines air / terminal 2 I never got my luggage opened by customs and nothing lost

terminal 1 has a lot of corners for you to be accosted ... unlike terminal 2 

I hope the ones complaining about lost stuff did lock their check in luggage, as baggage handlers will try to check unlocked luggage.,. and don't blame them if you didn't lock your check in stuff. 

only common near mishaps I have in terminal 2 is if I have loose currency the guy doing body frisking trying to make me surrender excess pesos ... I never gave in anyway 

Gary D, if i have more than 10,000 peso I put excess peso in checked in luggage ... never lost anything ... till date .... 

I always lock ...


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## GregShires (Oct 31, 2013)

thanks great advice I will take heed G.S.


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## simonsays (Feb 11, 2009)

PS. if you trust the combination locks make sure the digits aren't default 000  saw many guys opening secretly with 000 as combination ...

just saying ... 

when you check in, and the plane isn't ready to load the outbound luggage many idling baggage handlers killing time may try default numbers ... anyway in the world ....


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

We lock our checked luggage everywhere we fly domestic or intl with US TSA approved locks. Never had a problem.


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## Nickleback99 (Aug 6, 2011)

16 trips into the PI from 2007-2012 from various origin airports around world, and never had anything stolen, nor had Customs ever harass me. Only thing ever confiscated was Outbound at the airport entry for Terminal 1 and an empty mag for my Sig when I did not completely sanitize one of my ops back packs I was using. They took it (kept it I'm sure) and let me go, w/out further checks. I was lucky. If Singapore and few other places, I'd have been in jail awhile.


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## esv1226 (Mar 13, 2014)

My experience: some clothes missing in checked in luggage and tennis shoes in my golf bag, lost in transit but not in the Philippines. It can happen here and anywhere. Like everyone says - hand carry valuables.


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## pac (Jul 27, 2013)

pronse said:


> Never happened to me in all my of my trips to Philis??
> 
> If you mean by customs those who check (rarely) your bags before going out, then you'd see them checking it?? But if it's luggage handlers, you can't stop that and it happens any where in the world.
> I would advise you to lock your checked in bags using an NTSA approved locks (they have their logo on it too) and check in. I did see a note inside my bags that they have opened it when I went to Philis this time and last time when I went to Australia, but nothing was stolen?
> Both trips were from LA.


Pronse, my last trip to Manila, I had locks on all my bags (locks were not NTSA approved). I was told that if I did not provide the combination the locks could be cut off. Since these were to be inspections by NTSA I gave them the combos.

By the time the bags got to Manila, both had been gone through, many items missing. Mostly they went for the quickest and most available (iPads, iPhones, thumb drives, expensive headphones). I had credit cards and cash stashed in socks and other hidden packing areas that were not disturbed, but everything of value in the outside pockets and on the top layer or two inside "got legs". FWIW this was an Chinese Airlines flight via Taiwan to Manila. I'm fairly sure the bags did not get cleaned out in LA or Taipei. NTSA left a nice notice in the bag that it had been opened and inspected, that came from LA. Too bad they handed down the combinations to the locks on all the bags, nearly a sign that said "Free Stuff To Rip Off In Here". 

From now on, carrying on anything of value, or hiding stuff way better in luggage.

pac


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

pac said:


> Pronse, my last trip to Manila, I had locks on all my bags (locks were not NTSA approved). I was told that if I did not provide the combination the locks could be cut off. Since these were to be inspections by NTSA I gave them the combos.
> 
> By the time the bags got to Manila, both had been gone through, many items missing. Mostly they went for the quickest and most available (iPads, iPhones, thumb drives, expensive headphones). I had credit cards and cash stashed in socks and other hidden packing areas that were not disturbed, but everything of value in the outside pockets and on the top layer or two inside "got legs". FWIW this was an Chinese Airlines flight via Taiwan to Manila. I'm fairly sure the bags did not get cleaned out in LA or Taipei. NTSA left a nice notice in the bag that it had been opened and inspected, that came from LA. Too bad they handed down the combinations to the locks on all the bags, nearly a sign that said "Free Stuff To Rip Off In Here".
> 
> ...


Not to be harsh but dude, why wasn't all that stuff in a backpack always on your back in the first place???


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## esv1226 (Mar 13, 2014)

In today's news, a baggage loader was arrested reportedly caught stealing from luggage of passenger @ terminal 1. Fellow workers saw him stealing before too.


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## JimnNila143 (Jul 23, 2013)

Luckily I never had a problem when I entered the country at NAIA II. My valuables I kept inside my carryon backpack, especially my photographic gear, jewelry, perfumes, etc., and this backpack never left my eyesight or my hands when I was not aboard an aircraft. Even when flying domestically my wife and I took precautions so that theft would not take place. Even our checked bags were locked. Remember, too, that technically you cannot take any form of liquids that weigh more than 3 fluid ounces aboard an aircraft, this is why, before you land, the flight attendants come buy to sell perfumes, duty free items, etc..


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## leebeme0327 (Apr 13, 2014)

When I entered, they never even spoke to me!


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