Re: Crypto anarchist getting through customs

[attila <attila@primenet.com>]

On Mon, 15 Jan 1996, Timothy C. May wrote:

> YCO: " 'Cryptography'? "  (A look of no comprehension.)
> 
> Me: "Yes, cryptography. You know, secret codes, ciphers, stuff like that."
> 
> YCO: "Were there any foreigners present?"
> 
> Me: "Yes, it was in Monte Carlo. There were some Russians there, and lots
> of others."
> 
> YCO: [brief pause] "Did you bring anything back with you?"
> 
> Me: "No."
> 
> YCO: [waved me through]
>
	You were lucky. had the YCO understood the implications of 
    crypto, he probably would not have been so genial.

	San Fransisco is a good entry port for that reason --it does not 
    seem to be a major drug entry point via commercial airlines.  
    Secondly, the four or five times I have gone through there have been 
    hi-bye even though I am flagged --however, carrying a foreign service 
    passport (which has no relation to immunity) requires them to manually 
    enter the number...  end of story in loose ports.

> 
> In my carry-on luggage I had half a dozen magneto-optical disks, carring
> about a gigabyte of stuff. (As props to use during my talk on the
> France/Monte Carlo side, ironically, to show that borders are fully
> transparent.)
> 
	For the record, I have _never_ imported or exported anything 
    relevant as my own courier; there are far too many easy ways...
 
> 
> Frequent travellers to Europe will no doubt confirm what I'm saying. I
> travelled to dozens of countries in Europe a while back, and never was
> checked at any borders, save for a quick glance at my passport.
> 
> --Tim May
> 
	For the most part that is very true.  The only places I ever get 
    hassled is at obscure German-Swiss borders at night (driving). 
    Usually an older officer stuck with nights to encourage resignation
    --breeds a foul temper and absolute lack of humour --not that the
    Swiss ever had one <g) --I can say that with impunity: I am Swiss. 

	Other than bombs, the Europeans are just not cynically paranoid.

> "National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."
> 
	yup, there's always high bandwidth spread spectrum in a truck.

		attila
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