Getting herbal supplements through customs

Hi,

Thanks for reading my post and for helping out.

I'll be going on a 3-month backpacking trip to Indonesia and other SE Asian destinations, and I need to bring with me a large supply of herbal dietary supplements for health maintenance (no, not THOSE herbs). While these supplements are perfectly safe and legal, I'm concerned that, at some point, my bag could be searched---as part of random checking conducted by customs---and that my supplements could be confiscated due to strict customs regulations.

My concerns revolve mainly around three issues:

1) the large quantity I'll be bringing (6 bags of about 360 count 1,000 mg capsules)

2) the fact that they will be in clear zip-lock bags with no labels identifying the contents (there is no original packaging with labeling because my nutritionist receives these herbs in bulk, and then passes them on to me).

and

3) the fact that I cannot obtain a prescription for these supplements (because they are natural herbs) and therefore will only have a note from my nutritionist detailing the names of the herbs, the conditions for which I am consuming them, etc, etc

By the way, I'm concerned not only about Indonesia, but also other airport customs and border crossings for the countries I'll be visiting: Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore.

I realize my situation is not favorable. But what are your thoughts? I have thought about trying to find these supplements in my travels, but finding them could be very time-consuming, if not impossible, and most herbs sold in these countries are not encapsuated (they are sold as whole plants). What could I do, if anything, to increase the likelihood that I could travel freely with my supplements? Positive responses would be appreciated.

Please send along any information or suggestions which might be helpful. Thanks.

I had the same concerns when my wife filled baggies with vitamins of all different colors and sizes and shapes and kept them in her bag as we travelled throughout SEA. Not once were we ever questioned about all the pills and tablets and none of them were labeled. I knew none of them were narcotics or any other controlled substances and if customs wanted to test any, I was sure they'd find nothing illegal and I just did not worry about it. Plant are a different matter. I always tell the customs guy we have plants, fruits, vegetables etc. Sometimes they just wave us through, other times they take them away - usually only upon reentry to the USA. One really nice customs lady in LAX took the fruit, and checked it out under a florescent light to show us the little bugs and apologized for having to take them away. Ifyou buy herbs, you can ask the herbalist to label the bag he puts them in.

thanks for your reply. Which countries in SE Asia did you visit? Were your bags ever searched? How many times?

The quantity may be an issue, if you mean you will have over 2000 capsules (6x360).
Some airports scan incoming bags including checked luggage. Jakarta does (probably not all bags but some) and maybe Bali too. The more modern scanners highlight the type of material inside and the capsules will probably stand out. I am afraid that could mean you will be questioned. Major cities in the area work hard to detect drug smuggling and I think your bags are likely to be scanned in Singapore, Bangkok, KL, etc. often without you knowing it is happening. People are arrested at Jakarta airport on a regular basis, usually with lots of ecstasy tabs, etc. detected either by scanners or tip-offs.

Maybe your herbalist could at least give you some brochures about the contents of the capsules with photos etc. Otherwise you could be delayed for hours or more while they test them, and they may just keep them.

Do you really need so many? Large cities in Indonesia incluing Denpasar have large "health food" sections for vitamins and some herbal stuff, including the Guardian and Century chains who may have websites you could look at. Also there are Chinese herbalists in most large towns. I have no idea if these places sell what you want of course.

I travel with a moderate number of pills etc - aspirin, ibuprofen, glucosamine - up to maybe 100 or 200 total on a long trip, usually less, and never had a problem with that number, but I think that with 2000 it may look like you are smugging. Sorry to be negative!

Thanks for your replies. Unfortunately, I do need the large quantity. Because the herbs are basically "foods" in capsules, they obviously aren't as potent as artificial Western medicines (prescription drugs); therefore, I need large quantities to support me. Of course, I have to make some kind of contingency plan in the event my supplements are confiscated, so I will be checking out health-food stores and herb shops in the places I'll be visiting. While certainly not obscure, these Chinese and Indian herbs are not the common variety either. My nutritionist estimates I might be able to get half of them in SE Asia, but it's very unlikey they'll be encapsulated, a fact which makes my consuming adequate levels of the herbs much more challenging (I would have to buy the herbs as whole roots or plants and then boil them to create liquids which is obviously time-consuming and difficult). Anyway, any additional information about places which might have a large variety of herbs, especially encapsulated ones, would be much appreciated. Thanks.

MysticTraveler:

In response to your question, we have travelled for the past ten years in every country in SEA except Burma. Our bags have been pawed through, on occaision, but never thoroughly searched, unless they were without our knowlege after being checked in. We never have 2000 pills/tabs, etc., but we usually have an unlabelled medium sized zip lock bag full of vitamins, supplements, ibuprofen, etc. If I have any controlled substances, such as sleeping pills, or tylenol with codeine, I made sure they are in the prescription bottle, clearly labelled by the pharmacy with my name and doctor and I only take as many as I reasonably anticipate using.

#5 In the major airports some of the luggage scanning on checked bags goes on at the arrival airports without you knowing about it. They scan between the plane and the carousel. Bags with suspicious contents showing on the Xray scanners are marked in some way for checking by the Customs staff. In extreme cases someone watches the bag to see who collects it, especially bags with lots of tablets etc. The more advanced machines can give a good indication of the chemical composition of the contents and highlight suspicius material.

I figured there must be some scanning going on I never see and technology is more advanced now. As far as I am concerned, anyone trying to smuggle and/or distribute illegal drugs in that part of the world is crazy.