Police Checking and Asking for Money at Mumbai Airport

pcbaba

Hey all,

not sure if this is the right place to post this, but has anyone experiences trouble outside the airport from the 'local police'? We travel from the UK and always get stoped for money?

Any way to avoid this?

Thanks in advance for any comment.

delhiwala

Why

What for ???

__________________
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pcbaba

im confused coz we never have to pay anything outside any airport apart from india.

theyyamdancer

Can we go over this from the beginning please as I am also confused. What did you have to pay and to whom and why? When?

(From your other post you are not yet in India; I am doubly confused.)

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pcbaba

Ok.. I am not in india at the moment, but will be travelling there in september 2009.

2years ago when I came to india when my car was leaving the airprt - the 'policeman' sat outside the airport blew his wistle and asked the driver to stop. we weren't doing nanything illegal, just leaving the airport and going to our hotel.

To get the policeman off our back we had to give him INR500.

My question is: is there anyway of avoiding this annoyance?

delhiwala

Again ! Why ???

Aishah

I have never heard of this before and have been in and out of airports many times over the years. Don't think of this as the usual pattern of police. If this really happened to you, I am sure it will never happen again. Did the driver do some illegal thing? Was it a real policeman? First time I have ever heard of such an encounter.

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"Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards."

pcbaba

Delhiwala - I have no idea why they stop us. I've been told it's for money. as soon as u give em money they let the car go

asihah - The driver had worn his belt, not driving fast or anything. It seems to me, as soon as they see a foreginer (brisih/european) they wana check our bags and waste time. Bags have nothing in them expcet clothes. I really hate this and it's happened twice. Each time we've had a car from gujerat. As far as I care it could be a doorman posing as a policeman. It's just another annoyance of india and would really like some advice on ow to avoid this.

I am from the UK and never get hassles like this anywhere in the world except India.

Aishah

As you can see pcbaba we have moved your question and the following posts into the Scams and Annoyances Forum.

I really don't know what to say - this particular hassle is one I have never had to deal with. If it is a genuine policeman, I would ask for his name and number or whatever he has, he should have some identifying official card, and then tell him you will check this payment out at the local police station. If he doesn't like that idea, then you can be assured it is a scam. If he is genuine, he should give you an official government receipt.

pcbaba

From what you have just told me these people are not offical.

They just take the money quietly without a receipt or anything. I look forward to my trip to india this time and will post here If i get the same sort of annouyance.

Ps. this annoyance is outside the airpot not in the security checking inside the airport.

Nick-H

Looks like it only happens to you!

Fold your arms, shrug your shoulders, proclaim that its nothing to do with yuo and you aren't paying anything. The policeman knows he's never get Rs.500 from an Indian driver.

Maybe don't order a car from a different state to meet you at the airport.

---I don't know, just a couple of ideas.

Actually, it is very seldom foreigners that get hassled at airports; it is usually NRIs and returning Indian citizens. Bent officials think they are more likely to accept the threat/bribe culture.

jituyadav

It’s a simple case of using ignorance and convenience of travellers to get some money. If you are in Gujarat then perhaps they would be checking liquor as it is illegal there. If you do not have liquor then you don’t need to worry. In any case, wherever you are, you must ask for the reason for giving money. If it is some legal tax you would be getting a receipt and others would also be paying at that particular stop point. If it is not so then tell the person that you have full right to call the embassy and other police officials if they do not mend their acts. It would be enough to get them off your back.

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I started with nothing and I still have most of it!

pcbaba

Great replies guys.. thanks.. Its the whole bribe and curroptin culture which we NRI dont appreciate.

I think i've just been a victim of the bribe culture as an NRI! maybe I'll take the advise of a Mumbai friend.. he said 'speak to them in the tone of vioice they use to talk to u'

i've give that and the ID/emmbasy call a try.. I think this might work.

PS.. i dont travel wi alcohol coz dont drink the stuff.

thanks for the responses.. I will be back to report when i return in Oct.

Nick-H

Ahh ha! So you are an NRI. I've heard stories of NRIs being scammed by customs officials; the stories seem to be about Mumbai and Bangalore, but maybe that's just the ones I happen to have heard.

I've also heard stories of days-gone-past, from a friend used to receiving business contacts from abroad, that suggest that Mumbai airport was, once, an absolute den of corruption and wrong doing, and has really, really cleaned up in recent years.

Another suggestion is to prepare yourself with the telephone number of the compliance office, either by making a note of it from the various signs which (if it's like Chennai) will display it inside the airport, or perhaps by googling before your trip. You can then produce your mobile, and start dialing...

The worst thing about all this, and the thing that makes so many of us just sign up to the system, is that it is so much easier to hand over Rs100 or even Rs500 and be on our way. I've never had any airport problems, but I have this experience of traffic police. I know people who will not pay a bribe, whatever; I'm afraid I am not so strong-minded.

pcbaba

Thanks Nick-H

I think it must say Mug/fool across my forehead.

I swear it's really annoying.. and it's to earn the quick buck. in the past i'v said id dial the number! maybe i'll try it again this time. maybe try and be a bit firmer! or like u say its just easy to give INR 100-500. If i was on my own i'd take on the world, but when your with your parents, you have to take car of em too!