Reader question: Checking laptop at Schiphol

Be glad they check for that junk! It can't happen often enough. Difficult for your son and for others, yes, but if you know what those children go through, you should be happy that there is control.

Besides, if you put that junk on a computer you're being stupid. Put a few memory sticks in the bottom of the trunk and no one will notice; and the real smugglers know that better than anyone.

It is a sample when mopping with the tap open. Child pornography is a gold-money business, unfortunately. I'd like to use another word for that kind of guy, but this is a blog that rightly values ​​decent language….

It is highly irritating that you can be held up for an hour, apparently without suspicion. Subjecting random people to such a laptop survey seems ineffective and very time-consuming. They are better off spending the time tracking down the traders.

You have to ask yourself what this so-called random check is based on.
Is there a profile on which the person to be checked is selected, e.g. the likeness of a pedophile suspect. Or is the fact that you travel alone to Thailand, in this case, enough to mark you as a potential suspect upon your return, doesn't this smack of discrimination against a single man traveling to potentially a country where pedophilia is “rife and impact”.
Checking a computer where many personal items are stored can therefore be carried out without the approval of an examining magistrate, which applies to a house search.
In short, your computer is outlawed outdoors.
Or does the Public Prosecution Service want the photos/films for their own use, this is a reference to a high-ranking OM person years ago who apparently wanted this.
By the way, is there also a check if the person comes from Romania or call any other former Eastern Bloc country where pedophilia is also “common” or is this allowed because it takes place within the EU?
In short, it is mopping with the tap open and it gives a bad taste to the person who is wrongly checked for this, because this person does not know what the criterion is why he was selected and arbitrariness is unacceptable in this case.
There are other ways, given the successes made in breaking up the pedo networks.

I experienced the same on departure…..went to clear money and I had to wait so long that I said something about it. The woman felt irritated and asked for "reinforcements" by walkie-talkie. They turned everything upside down, my entire hand luggage was on display, while I had already passed through security. When I said that this was an abuse of power, they wanted to know what was on the laptop. When I asked what they were looking for, they said child pornography. Of course nothing found, but I'm done with those power hungry. If you come and execute money properly, you get this. Put on a suit and think they can afford everything.Arrogance at its best.

It's very humiliating, but they also examined my phone and camera. Do they have something to do at Schiphol. Show them a photo of my girlfriend on his question.. I say 46 years; Customs officer: that's not possible. do not become!!!

Of course the deterrence/symbol is political. Someone who has criminal files about terrorism or illegal pornography will not be so stupid as to take them on a data carrier with them on the plane. The intention behind it, to track down sick figures, is noble. Whether it really works… I doubt it. Whether it is legally nailed down is a good question. Not a few years ago, but I can't determine what the situation is now after an hour of googling.

At Schiphol, the KMar and Customs inspect around 2000 (two thousand) data carriers each year. Most of these are investigations by Customs.

In 2008-2009 this search was not yet 100% legally closed. The Ministry of Defense had to admit that nothing is on paper. “Following your request, no documents specifically related to the search of laptops have been found.” It is possible that it does happen, because investigation is a task of the Marechaussee. The State Secretary refers to the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Police Act. This was a pilot that was deliberately kept quiet for fear of legal complications.

It is clear from the figures and comments that these are not totally random samples. The number of studies is rather small and focuses on high-risk groups. One works on the basis of a profile. Anyone who enters here can be checked. This concerns, for example, single men who have stamps from certain Asian countries in their passports. Lawyers doubt whether this way of acting is legally valid.

“If we find data carriers secured with codes or passwords with the seized goods, the suspect does not have to cooperate by providing those codes or passwords,” a spokesperson for the Marechaussee acknowledges.

I am not going to delve into this further, the chance that you will be taken out is rather small and in practice you will get further by cooperating with the officials if you want to continue your journey quickly. Fun is of course different if you are subjected to extra investigation as a potential paedo or terrorist. I also prefer that no one will snoop in my stuff, no matter how well intentioned. Really privacy-sensitive things are best left at home on a medium that is not in contact with the internet.

Sources:
- https://tweakers.net/nieuws/94384/marechaussee-doorzoekt-iets-minder-apparaten-op-schiphol.html?mode=nested&niv=0&order=desc&orderBy=rating&page=1#reacties
- http://webwereld.nl/overheid/39786-beleid-ontbreekt-bij-laptopcontroles-schiphol
- https://www.security.nl/posting/25015/Douane+doorzoekt+900+mobiele+telefoons+op+Schiphol
- https://tweakers.net/nieuws/53137/douane-schiphol-doorzoekt-mobiele-telefoons-en-laptops.html

Yes, a topic on Thailand blog where we can lose our frustration again.
No problem with the checks, which we have also experienced ourselves, as explained above. It is logical that the delay sometimes evokes a slight annoyance for the well-intentioned among us.
But if the language used in some of the above comments is seen as normal language,
Can you expect equal treatment from customs? Next trip I look forward to the frustrated horny
officer, I wonder what it looks like.

I think that Rob V certainly hits the right note from his profession, but also from a human perspective, and in this context he is certainly an asset to this site. It is the tone that makes the music and it happens that not everyone is always treated with the right elan. Another factor is that the person in question is easily irritated or reacts differently, for whatever reason. I would therefore recommend that you also take a look at yourself and place it in a broader perspective. The end justifies the means and the people of customs and the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee have a task, which they generally perform very well. The fact that an inspection is never fun and can be experienced as annoying is inherent to this. I too have been checked once and then you undergo that and cooperating will certainly speed things up.
If you make a movement to the left, you cannot simultaneously make a movement to the right.
A little more understanding for each other would serve humanity.
The choice to carry out these checks and the results this yields will have been evaluated by the relevant services and adjusted if necessary. Since it has been going on for some time, it will have some results. Remember, even if only for a few suspects who fall through the basket, each of these sex suspects is still a step in the right direction. We all have a responsibility to protect children.
What is certainly an option, and Rob already indicated that, is the complaints procedure. It is and I personally, because of my own old position, had to deal with it, handled it adequately and took it seriously. The fact that the outcome of this is not interpreted as correct for everyone is something that happens and a step to court via the legal profession would personally be a step too far, but I realize that not everyone thinks and feels the same, so I will leave this please pass it on to the person in question.
Remember, justice is a concept and doing justice or getting justice often leads to frustration and dissatisfaction.

I am screwed so often when I arrive in AMS from BKK , I have had to open my luggage so many times and then mess everything up , even if I travel with my wife it doesn't matter , have to show my tablet or pc etc, and I certainly don't look pedophile.
When I come back from a Thailand golf trip with friends it is completely fine, yes it is clear, a few men who come from Bangkok are always suspicious, a few dirty loose golf balls in my suitcase were examined as if they were drugs, this always with a contemptuous smile on their face because it is so nice to have a Belgian close to his kl.. and especially when there is nothing to be found. I really never have anything with me, at most a pair of sunglasses for €3 or a jar of tiger balm.
Even before departure I was completely checked to see if I didn't have too much cash with me, all nooks and crannies were combed through, must be really fun such a job, right?
the problem is that as a passenger you look like a dick in front of everyone.
Although I have nothing to hide , I prefer not to go via Schiphol anymore , but yes , sometimes there is no other option . I think they should do their job well, but if you really want to, don't put that pedo stuff on your PC, there are plenty of other options.

I think it's a good thing that we're being monitored.
That's how I had to be checked. However, the customs officer who was allowed to do this was not present at the time.
I could wait 4 hours for him to arrive at the airport. In fifteen minutes he was ready and I could leave.

I heard all kinds of suspicions. Why do you have so many memory cards? When asked 'what do you think we're looking for?' I replied 'child porn'. 'how strange that you give that answer?' was the comment.
I was also told that I could go home. They kept my laptop, camera and memory cards. When I asked how do I get that back, the answer was 'Then we will proceed to arrest'.

I later objected. But it's like a wall you're banging into. But most of all I wonder; 'what is a normal time that someone is put on hold at Schiphol?'