What rights do travellers have when being searched for drugs by Australian customs?

3/27/2017 8:12:33 PM

The Customs Act 1901 grants customs officers fairly extensive powers, and refusal to co-operate is generally taken as probable cause to detain for further investigation. Specifically, while you have the right to say no to invasive searches, X-rays etc by a Customs officer, if you do so, you will be detained and Customs will ask for a judge’s authorisation for a medical professional to search you:

Circumstances where a person does not consent to having an internal search conducted, the customs or police officer must obtain an order from a judge, which would allow a medical practitioner to undertake a search.

http://www.findlaw.com.au/articles/5983/are-customs-officers-allowed-to-conduct-random-sea.aspx

So you’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

And for what it’s worth, I’ve entered Australia many times as both an Aussie and a foreigner, but am not a lawyer and have managed to avoid the rubber glove treatment at the border so far.

Credit:stackoverflow.com‘

About me

Hello,My name is Aparna Patel,I’m a Travel Blogger and Photographer who travel the world full-time with my hubby.I like to share my travel experience.

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