so you end up in jail in another country, any one have it happen?
 

I asked else where but didn't get much of answer. Seeing how corrupt place like Mexico are. 92% of people end up behind bars without any physical evidence to tie them to the crime . You gulity unless you can some how prove otherwise, it seem like a good question what do you do? I m not talking that you had drugs on you etc. I m talking you end up in the wrong place at the wrong time. it seem like a wise question to ask . It could happen, has it happen to anyone you know? what happened? thanks.
:helpsmilie:

I've heard stories...

When I was in Argentina. A couple were arrested trying to smuggle cocaine home on their landrover.. I think they were offered £15,000 which they wanted to use to keep on travelling.

Have you seen the programme "Banged up abroad" ??

I think that most people who end up in foreign jails are there for a reason. Drugs etc.

Although, Ted Simon was locked up in Brazil in the 70's (cant remember why) and Sam Manicon was temporaraly slammed up in Africa for crashing into a pedestrial who jumped out in front of his bike..

Despite the horror stories I think being fitted up for something you have not done is unusual.

I would call the consulate of your home country and employ a lawyer recommended by them to get you out/defend you.

I wonder whether you can take out insurance policies for the defense? I doubt it somehow....

Senegal
 

Myself and Peter Cullen were arrested for a trumped up charge of killing a child in Zuigenchor, Senegal!
A family tried to fit us up but we had witnesses, 2 catholic nuns and nobody would argue with them!!
If it weren't for them then I wouldn't know what would have happened but it wouldn't have been good that's for sure!

Andy pag [biotruck] got jail time in india for the whole sat phone thing, took them ages to sort it out

I spend four days in an army-prison in Chad on a small room with 20-25 people, one guy had been there in seven years, he was not quite sure why.

No phonecals, no interpreter, polluted water etc.

I was guilty of taking pictures in the desert without a permit.


Edit: This is also an interisting case Welcome, here is a short introduction

HOLEY S**T !!! What a situation !!

Is this still pending ???

Man, such a bad idea to carry a firearm while travelling (a different argument altogether) and maybe the Congo is really not the best place to visit in the first place !

There was a new round in civil court in May this year but the result was more or less the same.
A newspaper had live web-tv from the court and it was a circus.



Yes, firearms generates more problems then they solve.
They were carrying a shotgun (no rifles or pistols). According to Moland the Congo embassy in Uganda said it was okay to carry a shotgun.

Anyway, they where riding a XT.

Its hard to know for sure if they're telling the whole story though...

Nightmare either way though ! Sounds like a local was shot !

They rented a pickup with a driver to transport their broken XT towards Uganda. Two locals were also sitting in the pickup. The driver got shot, the group got separated and Moland and French drove away with the car.


Like always, I have no idea what's true.

Here is the same story from a different perspective

Google Translate

And here is a video from their alleged military traning camp: YouTube - Moland and French Training camp

The video from the training camp is real.

It's filmed in Uganda where the guys had a licensed security-business.(The murder took place in Congo).

Got in jail in Zambia about 8 months ago.

To make it short here is the story:
- with my friend I was crossing Africa with we were looking to visit Victoria Falls
- tourists can only pay the entry fee in US$
- we where short on US$
- we looked for a change office, all closed
- we changed some money on the black market (first mistake)
- among real US$ notes the guys gave us two fake ones (second mistake, I didn't check enough if all the notes looked real or not)
- when we realized we had fake notes the guys were gone (of course)
- when at Victoria falls entrance the guy giving ticket was not looking like a guy that pay too much attention to the notes he was given (second mistake we made)
- we gave it a try thinking "if he realize it's fake notes he'll keep it and that will be all" (third mistake)
- when we gave it to him we saw he had a fake note detector, oops! Of course the alarm of the machine went on when he inserted our note. Oops!
- he went mad, called a cop near by, called the manager of Victoria falls
- 1 hour later 2 police men arrived (in a taxi) to arrest us and put us in jail (funny things, not enough space in the taxi, we had to follow them to the jail on our bikes). Another funny things, they left us visit the falls before going to fail, thank you guys!
- after a day in jail they released us but kept our passports. We were "lucky" we did the exchange in front of a closed bank with CCTV. We where not expecting any of these cameras to be working but it was a miracle, CCTV was actually recording! So they saw the faces of the guys that gave us the fake notes.
- after 4 days we got our passports back and left the country

Don't do the same mistake, don't be an idiot! :nono:

At least they sent us in jail with our cameras. So we have a souvenir :innocent:

http://www.the-great-adventure.fr/ph...00x1200%5D.JPG

Hope nobody ends up like this poor guy....

BBC News - Briton dies in Dubai police custody

F'in Nuts! Love it!! Following the taxi with your bikes and getting to see the falls before the cop's arrive... priceless

Photos in prison.... Awesome! bier

Tis a game of chance out there....

I met a french couple in Nicaragua this year who told me when they landed in Panama, they grabbed a taxi to find a hostel, and not 10min into the drive, they end up getting stopped by a Policia truck. the police get the couple and driver out, handcuffed and on the side of the road and begin to search the vehicle. of course they uncover 15Kg Cocaine. everyone goes to jail with no calls or way to contact anyone.. but LUCKILY the police determined the couple had no idea about the snow and let them out 2 days later... just goes to show ya anything can happen :P

In Jail No Bail...
 

When I was young, many, many and even many more years ago, I lived in Mexico and landed a part time work with the international Red Cross AKA as a "informant" for the American Embassy in Mexico City.

I did not live in Mexico City, but was flown in a private Cessna (small airplane with 2 seats) by a former Las Vegas show girl as pilot to various landing strips near jails throughout Mexico. She, of course became an object of my desire and I could not wait for telegrams to arrive instructing me of my next assignment.

The wait for the installation of a private telephone was 3 years, so telegrams were the way to contact me. A currier would be despatched from the local telegraph office to find me - usually at a local cafe or more frequently at a local bar/brothel. I tipped the currier and I never missed a message in the 3 years of my employ.

Once and a while I actually was at my humble abode across from the bull ring - dead drunk and/or with a woman, or so tired I could not even walk the several blocks to the nearest bar. Life was good and I was happy to be alive - after even more exacting employment that qualified me for the Red Cross job.

So here is what I discovered. Small children with flashlights, hidden under a sarape (blanket) in the trunks of Mexican taxi cabs were trained in opening tourist suitcases, replacing valuables (cameras, radios, jewelry etc) for cocaine and or marijuana. Compact cars had not yet then reached the market...

And, of course, once the tourists reached their destination, the taxi driver would call the Mexican 9-11 and alert the police that some tourists might have illegal drugs in their suitcases. The taxi driver would collect his reward, and the tourists, would be confronted, their cocaine marijuana laden baggage searched and hauled off to jail.

Although a reciprocal international agreement between the United States of America and the United States of Mexico was that each would advise the others embassy within 48 hours of the arrest of one or the others citizens, tourist victim I speak of here were seldom reported as required. Because, the local jail holding the tourists was holding out for money from the tourists, their friends or families or some other third party as get out of jail free pass.

Enter the international Red Cross - me - and my Cessna flying 6'1" beauty, who dispatched me whenever. Usually, a guard or prison employee was paid to advise friends or family that the tourists were in jail in Mexico, and the same friends and family, (if they had any political clout whatsoever) were able, usually via their congressman or senator and the Department of State were able to send a query (cable) to the U S Embassy who, not legally able to interfere in judicial affairs of Mexico, dispatched the Cessna to collect me and as an official representative of the Red Cross visit the jail identified as holding same tourists.

This I did for more than three years. But, I will say the majority of Americans held in Mexican jails were there for not having auto insurance while being involved, but not necessarily causing auto accidents - with bodily injury or substantial property damage.

I could say more, but better not. Anyone who wants more details can PM me.

I will say, other than the obvious drug cartel activities, usually not directed toward tourists, Mexico is a much safer place than when I lived there.

xfiltrate, Eat, Drink, Be Careful and buy insurance damit.

My wife and I were jailed in Spain in 2010 for driving at 2 oçlock in the morning on an empty expressway with our fog lights on, we were in a hire car at the time.We refused to pay a 100 euro on the spot fine that we thought was unreasonable. they ended up fining us 580 euros for disobeying police, 220 euros for towing the hire car and 100 euros for the fog lights.An elderly police man felt sorry for us and the way we were being treated and had the towing charge written off on our insurance, the 100 euros we had to pay to get the car back and we left Spain for Morocco on our motorbikes without paying the 580. We were in jail for 12 hours and were never offered anything to eat or drink and were refused permission to contact our embassy or make any phone calls. Never had any other trouble in the 50,000 odd kilometres we covered from Tokyo to Cape Town

We were arrested in Uzbekistan this year for one night because of "trying to break the border" to Tajikistan, which we did of course not.
They examined us for several hours until late in the night and we were kind of arrested in the house of the local english teacher (obviously they couldn't arrest us officially, because we were no criminals and cooperated all the time).

Full story here:
Enduristan: Jailhouse rock

Cheers, Matthias

:rockon:

Me and Nadsicles were arrested in Kazakhstan this summer. Something to do with a visa violation. We just played dozy and kept calm and it was OK. They let us go after a few hours, I think when they realised we had no money and were not getting upset.

Yikes! Some of those stories are damned scary!

My advice to the OP is to trust your instincts as to who is a trustworthy person and who isn't, and then stay away from the shady ones.

Most of the time a traveller gets into serious trouble with the law, it has something to do with drugs, so stay away from the funny stuff and stick to the bottle! jeigerbier

xfiltrate, this is a brilliant story. If I'm ever in your neck of the woods I'd love to hear more over a few pints. bier

I was arrested a number of years ago after crossing the border from Sudan into Egypt. We thought we had all the correct paperwork, but didn't. A few things made the situation way more problematic than 'normal'. We crossed, unbeknownst to us, in a 10 kilometer stretch which was a military zone. This meant that neither the US or UK embassies would help. In fact, the US folks hung up on my friend rather abruptly. 'You broke the law, we can't help.' A lawyer who was sent for said it could be anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 years. Scary.

It also didn't help then Pres Mitterrand was visiting then Pres Mubarak and all the roads were closed. AND it was during the Eid. Everything shut down and we were held first in a military camp, then taken under armed guard in a bus to Aswan. Also not good was having a camera with a ton of film. Some were certain we were spies. Others thought it was a great break from their routine to check out the two chicks in the numerous offices we visited. We were told we could be under house arrest in a hotel IF a certain signature was procured. Alas, the men at the jail wanted to go home (it was 1am) and we were escorted into a jail cell where we stayed. Fortunately we had friends on the outside to bring us food etc. Finally after ten days of incarceration we were taken in front of a military judge and given a suspended sentence and set free with the agreement to leave town immediately. Not a problem...

Got arrested in Sudan for taking pictures...

Yeah, had that happen too, in Khartoum, taking photos of a funky round-about! There was a government building across the street. :oops2: Thank goodness the Sudanese are fantastic people.

When things go wrong…..

Here’s a little story from the real life:
Entering Namibia 27th of March 2013 in Walvis Bay, to pick up my 4X4 that’s being shipped in.
Filling out the immigration card in the airport, asking for the allowed 90 days in the country.
No visa needed, as I’m on a European passport. Immigration officer stamps my passport and writes something on the stamp.
When he’s handing the passport back, I’m asking how long I can stay. Up to 90 day’s sir, is the answer.
I put the passport in my bag, WITHOUT CHECKING THE STAMP…….
I collect my truck, and spend some time touring around, not leaving Namibia.

The 11th of May I’m back in the airport, to fly back to France. My bag is checked in, and I’m given a boarding pass.
Then the fellow at the airline desk checks my passport, and informs me that I have overstayed my time in the country.
WHAT?? Yes, the immigration officer that stamped my passport, wrote down that I was allowed until the 20th of April (my birthday ???).
Long story, but I got arrested in the airport, taken to a holding cell in Walvis Bay, and spend 3 days there before appearing for the court.
Was fined 1000 NAM dollars, and given 48 hours to leave the country.
Back to the airport and on the plane to Johannesburg the next day.

Goes to show how quickly one’s life can change.
I can recommend to check passport stamps…………………………..
My truck is still in Namibia. I will try and re-enter in August.

Cheers, Ib.

Have had several run-ins with Mexican law enforcement officials (transitos to federales) over the years.

Have been cuffed and placed in the back of police cars. Have followed officials "to the station." Have just paid the mordida outright. Have talked my way out of mordida. Have given police and soldiers other items in lieu of money on 2 or 3 occassions.

I've only been worried--really worried--on two occassions. Some officers can be extremely dangerous to mess with. I more or less cooperate at every step in the process.

Still, I love that country and continue to visit. Was there 2 weekends ago and will be riding there solo this weekend.

My advice: handle the situation quickly and at the lowest possible level. Property and money are easily replaced.

And if you don't get hurt too bad, it adds to the adventure and leaves you with a good story.

Passports scribbles.
 

VikingOnTour;

Horrendous! Just checking what's been written on my passport from African crossings etc. Never thought to look before!

Moss