by Bennii Blast of The Culture PineAfter hearing a number of stories about naturals having to undergo hair searches at airport security points, I always said to myself ‘do they really think someone would go to those kind of lengths?’ Well lo and behold, a young lady has done just that.
This article reports about a South African woman having large sticks of cocaine removed from inside of her dreadlocks by Thailand officials. As much as this lady must know right from wrong at the age of 23, I can’t help but wonder what would have driven her to take such a risk. In the middle of the article it mentions the execution of another drug smuggler only this week., which indicates just how serious an offense this is in Thailand.
What’s your thoughts on the story? Have you been hair checked when boarding a flight?
I was told I may have to because I had a lot of hair pins and they thought it was making the metal detector go off, but I took off my jewelry and belt and made it without having to take a style down.
No lie on current Christmas vacation while going through Milwaukee airport AFTER being put into the whole body scanner i was then subject to a HAIR PAT DOWN! Mind you my hair was in a BUN! where was I going to hide anything? I found it quite funny afterwards but come on
LMBO @ "the Snookie"…I am on the fence about this one. I am all for airport security, but if they do a "hair" search for eveyone who attempts to get on an airplane without bone straight hair, there is going to be some smoke in the city!
Hence the reason we get hair pat downs. I do hope that all hair is checked including women rocking the Snookie. You could hide a grenade in there.
Dummy–folks are so selfish and ignorant, they don't think how their actions affect others now, the TSA will want to ruffle through our curls thanks to this Nimrod! And those foreign countries don't play so she'll probably get her lights put out for that offense and you can bet that being black no one will be coming to her aide–good for her!
Oh well, there's no use in tryna play the race card now,just assume the position at the airport :-/
IAMSONOTMYHAIR
I did experience a separate pat-down and almost massage of my hair about 2 weeks ago when I was traveling. My own hair is big (even added hair to my already big curlies for more volume) and long so I guess they thought there was a chance to hide something in there. I was surprised but not inconvenienced or upset in any way. I am however sad to hear the possibility that such a young woman may lose her life for such a mistake. Though it may seem she should know better, at 23 many people are still quite reckless with their lives especially if there is a chance to make money.
Excuse my apathy but she should not have been smuggling drugs in the first place. Secondly those "dreads" were way fake. As sorry as I may feel for her because she has a high chance of getting executed, that was very stupid on her part especially since I am sure she must of heard of the previous woman getting executed for the same offense.
Excuse me if I believe in people doing the time for committing a crime.
I definitely get hair checked…I think it is funny. I travel a lot so I am well prepared with a loose high puff that is easily fixed after they harass my locs!
They do check every type of hair. If My hispanic friend had an nice updo (she has straight hair)and they patted down her hair and ruined it.
I had a hair pat down the last time I flew. I understand why they do it, but I was upset that they don't do it for all hair types. What is the difference between African American big curly hair and Caucasian big curly hair. I am okay if they check every type of hair.
I saw the movie Brokedown Palace. I'm straight…
Well until they find somebody packing a gun or something in their fro/locs, I'm still gon feel some type of way…
they were fake locks ….not real
It's unfortunate that one person can sometimes spoil the whole bunch. I was going to the Federal Building in the town that I live in and was told that my twists needed to be checked. There were hair pins in my hair and they needed check my hair so I had to take my hair down and the pins out so they could check my hair. Although I don't have a problem checking my hair because I did nothing wrong, I did think of all those naturals traveling on plans and what they have to go through…damn, damn, damn!!! LMAO
Ditto to what Ashley said above.
im so embarrassed to be a South African because of this women, I mean the country is a buzz with what she's done, I feel sorry for her though, apparantley she had a really good back round, maybe she was just plain greedy, which ever way my prayers are with her I have worked in an asianic country and its not easy, I can only imagine, and never really know what she is going through
That being said, Nobando knew of a few drug smugglers that came back to tell there story just this year we had Vanessa Van goossen who was given a Royal pardon by the THailnd goverment! so she knew better though she read the story in a popular magazine, she must have so im really perplexed at why she would still agree to do such a thing anywhooo Im praying for her everyday if it wasnt for the grace of jesus maybe i too would have done this root
sorry for the long comment
I just hate to see this, people who work so hard to do the wrong thing. This is why people who have their 'fro, dreads, etc. checked by TSA should just behave and understand they are just doing their job because apparently there are actually people smuggling contraband in their hair. Talking about public humiliation….
Believe it or not, the hair (straight, curly, permed, or natural) is a common place to hide contraband of any type. I work in corrections and we are SURE to check any hair type for contraband or weapons for the inmates and our safety!!!!
I wear locs and had them patted recently. For me, it was not a big deal. I suppose when it comes to traveling, nothing surprises me anymore.
Sad, but this will defintely add to increased patdowns on fros, locs and any other kind of big hair that looks like it could hold some stuff. I just hope it doesn't give TSA officials the confidence to be jack-ss-s about it.
As long as people like this woman do things like this, we can't complain about our hair being a security target.
I was recently patted down and searched not for my hair, but for a bracelet that I was wearing. The agent was extremely polite about it. I had twists in my hair at the time and she didn't even touch them.
During the Thanksgiving travel season I washed my hair the nigh before I left for the airport. My hair was still a bit wet the next morning, so I kept my hair in twists and under a plastic cap and hat. At the airport Security wanted me to take off my hat, but I protested because my head was looking a hot mess after my wash. But the female security guards were nice and let me through and just patted my hat down. I felt stupid for wearing the hat later knowing that they did it for safety reasons and that wearing a hat can make a security guards job a little harder. So I decided to leave plenty of time to wash my hair and wear it in a little afro next time ( I have short hair).
I just went through security today during holiday travel season and they patted my twist out 'fro anyway. LOL, It doesn't bother me too much. I understand its all for safety reasons. But I was rather surprised that they would pat my short 'fro down. That was a first. I guess they saw this article this morning…
I don't know if they search everyone's hair but I received a puff pat down just this past weekend after going through a full body scan. I must say I was not expecting it at all.
This does not bode well for those of us who wear locs. I saw a three year old get a pat down once…do I don't doubt they will start "frisking" locs and fros.
This is why we can't have nice things.
Yeah that is embarassing and they did pay her nicely to smuggle in those drugs. But she will most definitely be killed over this, just a couple of days before she was captured. They had killed another South African lady for drugs as well, they don't tolerate this type of stuff in their country.
Just sad that someone would be in such a desperate state to risk so much —- in this case, possibly her life. Sadly, when you read about these drug mules, they are often women (of all ages) who have been convinced that this is easy money. I have never been "hair" searched by TSA. My hair is not that big.
Wow. I agree Nikki! I always wonder why TSA is harrassing naturals, but clearly now I see. Thank you for shedding some light here. Next time I fly and they want me to take off my beanie to look in my hair, I can just say please put some oil on your gloves before you dig in my hair taking my natural oils with that latex. Thanks! ha lol