[HELP] Carrying HDD Abroad

[Blastwave]

Alright,

A few friends of mine will be making business trips to UK and back a couple of times this year.

The general question here is, is a passenger allowed to carry HDDs with them?

Will they be checked?

Do HDDs get damaged going through scanners?

Obviously they are carrying their movies, music and games to UK so they can plug them there in office there and have fun.

and bring back more data that they download there.


I know I know quite a noobish question.

[Generall]

I myself wanted an answer to this :
Will they be checked ?
And if checked, will the pirated content be ignored or deleted ?
Will I be fined and/or arrested if I am found possessing a lot of copyright material ?
Will encrypting the content arouse their suspicions ( remember that al-qaeda documents porn movie news ) ?

[gow3]

From what I know, if graphics cards/motherboards can be allowed to be carried, then these can as well! They are chipsets. But Yasir(IMX owner) told me to take out the product out of it's box. Then stuff it between clothes. Then even if they ask you what it is, it won't really matter much. Plus all of this checking takes place when they land at pakistan, not when they are at UK and coming back to PAK.

[raheelc]

I have personally brought hard drives back and forth from the states (and through the UK)....I have never once had to have them checked, or have had them confiscated. But i guess it all depends on the situation. For me, I had put them in my suitcases (checked in luggage) and not my carry-on luggage. It could be a completely different situation if you keep them in your carry-on luggage. I think the best option is to take a few shirts and fold them around the hard drives for cushioning and then pack them in your suitcase (somewhere in the middle of it, so that it has complete cushioning on all sides), and then just keep them in your suitcase. They've never been damaged or confiscated in any way.

Im not sure about the UK, but in the US checked in luggage can be "randomly" screened and opened by the TSA after you've checked in your luggage (so you wont even be there when its been opened, you'll actually be sitting at the gate waiting to board). So they can go through each and every last item thats in your luggage. If that happens, they leave a notice in the suitcase saying that it was randomly screened and checked for illegal/prohibited items. I've actually had this happen to me once, and i had hard drives in the suitcase. But they were preserved and intact without any data missing.

Also, I dont think the TSA and other security agencies that work the airports are really interested if you have movies, music, games, etc on your hard drives, even if they are pirated versions. Because technically they cant prove that the material has been downloaded illegally or if you actually own and paid for it. For example, once my cousin took about 200 dvd movies back from here to the states (with the covers and everything) and his luggage was checked in customs when he reached Chicago, all the guy said was are these for your personal use and he replied yes. Then the guy let him go.

So, After such a long rant, I guess im just trying to say that i think you/your friends should be safe taking your hard drives back and forth

[my3m]

bro the metal detector will see it and ppl think it might be bomb

[Azaudin]

Allowed to carry HDD and it'll be fine. The X-rays don't affect the magnetic alignment of the hard drive platters.

[Ali Man]

No electronic item should be taken in the hand-carry except for phones, mp3 players, etc.

HDD's or any other electronic thing can easily be taken and brought back through the checked-in luggage. That's not a problem.

[gow3]

No electronic item should be taken in the hand-carry except for phones, mp3 players, etc.

HDD's or any other electronic thing can easily be taken and brought back through the checked-in luggage. That's not a problem.

I actually don't think that's the case. From what I know, my uncle works in the airport customs. I asked him about the rules and regulations. He told me that most of the stuff is allowed. Will confirm and let the OP know tomorrow.

[Ali Man]

I actually don't think that's the case. From what I know, my uncle works in the airport customs. I asked him about the rules and regulations. He told me that most of the stuff is allowed. Will confirm and let the OP know tomorrow.

Actually it is as it is. I've been through it nigga.

[gow3]

Actually it is as it is. I've been through it nigga.

Well that sucks -_- I'll have to get my cards into the bags then. LOL someone told me that as soon as the airport customs scan the bags they might steal them for any products you have :P.