I arrived back at Zürich airport on Tuesday evening and while I was waiting at the luggage carrousel I was approached by a man who offered me a packet of cigarettes. Not to keep or smoke mind you, but to take through customs and then give back to him.

I though this was strange. One packet? Not a crate of them. Surely you can take a single packet through.

Or maybe he was one packet over the limit?

Or maybe there was something else in the packet, and I could be in serious sheet if caught?

So I talked my way out by telling him I couldn't possibly smuggle any more because I was already over the limit with the plutonium, unzipping my carry on just a little bit to give him a peek at something that wasn't there. He looked at me with a strange blank expression, as if he hadn't actually understood what I had just told him. He decided not to push it and went off to find somebody else to talk to.

He bought more than he should and was afraid to get caught so he asked you to take some? Some people buy the double cartons and then realize you are only allowed one

He just didn't see the non-smoking signs. The flights are long.

It was not a carton, but a packet. I would never have done this either.

Sounds more like there may have been something other than tobacco in said packet...

Agreed. There is no other logical reason for it. I personally dont care if other people want to use drugs. Their problem. What gets me is that the guy is trying to find a naive person and let them take a serious risk on his behalf.

Not sure, but this might be the moment Id tip the customs guy off when walking out.

Whilst it may give you a little warm glow to be so obliging, the result is probably the customs officers would keep you too for a nice thorough check, might even strike lucky and you get to hear the snap of some rubber gloves....


Without doubt, the customs people would investigate both you and the suspect resulting in a delay which could be several hours long.


By reporting you are trying to remove suspicion from yourself but the outcome is you draw more attention to yourself

In the U.S., I'd suspect an undercover cop trying to see who is willing to break the rules. Undercover operations are common.

What about here? Can the police pretend to do/be one thing just to get people in trouble?

They've got better things to do. Like stopping people make noise at 2:30am.