What happens to all the stuff TSA and CBSA confiscate?

[dan40]

I was just reading a site where they were trying to explain what happens when the TSA or CBSA in Canada confiscate all the liquid stuff in your suitcase when passing through Customs. Some said it's all inventoried and sent away and recycled, then inventoried again on its way out (ie. plastics, bottles, etc.).

Someone went as far as to say that a TSA agent confiscated a muscle-building liquid and was prancing around (yes, prancing), and was boasting he "now had lunch", which is very unprofessional in my opinion.

One commenter said, "In all the time that liquids over a certain volume, has there ever once been a dangerous liquid detected?"

What exactly DOES happen to this stuff? Certainly the border agents don't take it for their own personal gain???? Like, you can't carry a brand new unopened bottle of Coke in your knapsack and take it with you through Customs... so if it's new, does a border guard take it and drink it later?

I guess we'll never know what goes on behind closed doors at the airport and border checkpoints.

 

[usd2bmd]

Anytime i have seen things confiscated, it gets tossed in the nearest trash can.

 

[BDL]

I always thought that they were just collected the stuff and then they became the gifts for the Yankee swap at the TSA Christmas party.

 

[wilkeliza]

Stuff that is confiscated that is just shampoo and soda and stuff I have just seen go in the nearest trash can. I watched a TSA agent tell a girl her $150 bottle of lotion had two options trash it or get your butt out of line and check your bag. She was still fighting with them very loudly as I edged around them to put my shoes on and get on the monorail to the gates at MCO.

Now weapons and stuff I think they have to itemize and inventory them and hook up with local police to make sure none of it was stolen or used in a crime or anything like that.

 

[sonnyjane]

Anytime i have seen things confiscated, it gets tossed in the nearest trash can.

I'm not sure what site the OP was reading that says they do a detailed inventory, but in my personal experience, I always just see it tossed in the trash too. With other items, I have seen them tell the person to either go back and check their bag or tell them that they can mail the item in a flat-rate box (and they had a little station like at the post office with the supplies) but I can't for the life of me remember what airport that was in.

 

[sunshinehighway]

I think it depends on what it is. I read an article about a store they sell stuff in. I think the one I read about was Texas. If I remember the stuff was more souvenir type things, not personal hygiene or edible things. Those type of things most likely get thrown away.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

At our airport, they just throw it in the trash can. They can't resell it or anything.

 

[tvguy]

Here it is turned over to the state, and they hold regular auctions. Things like shampoo etc. are usually sold in a lot, like a box of 25 assorted shampoos.

http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2013/04/17/items-seized-by-tsa-chp-up-for-auction-on-saturday/

 

[xlxo]

YVR used to have a thirft store...
http://www.yvrchaplain.com/thrift-store

 

[cats mom]

In my state TSA confiscated items are part of Surplus Personal Property Auctions, along with law enforcement confiscated items, government surplus property, etc. The auctions take place every 6 weeks or so.

BTW, I understand Disneyland does something similar with lost and found items, at least they have in the past. Those sales are for employees only though. The CM's I was talking to disagreed on whether the sales are still being held or not, but both said they have gotten amazing deals in the past.

 

[bcla]

What exactly DOES happen to this stuff? Certainly the border agents don't take it for their own personal gain???? Like, you can't carry a brand new unopened bottle of Coke in your knapsack and take it with you through Customs... so if it's new, does a border guard take it and drink it later?

I've forgotten to take stuff out. A few times it was traveling with my 2 year old, and they allowed a couple of bottles of water for a child. I'd even forgotten a couple of cans of Coke in a bag and the first thing the TSA agent said was that it couldn't be for my kid (my kid actually would drink it). The water went through a machine and was cleared to go with us. The stuff tossed went right into the trash. Another time I had bought a large tube of toothpaste but forgot to dump it. While in line I just tossed it in a trash can and went through.

I've been found with a Swiss Army Classic officer's knife. I was actually entering a bit late on a gate pass to help someone who had already entered with my wife (also on a gate pass). I forgot to leave the knife in the car. As much as the body scanners are ridiculed, it clearly spotted that I had a metal object in my pants. I wasn't sure if I was in trouble or anything, but they said it could either be confiscated and I could enter, or they could return it to me but I couldn't get into the gate area. I didn't really need to go and help my wife, so I opted to keep it and wait for my wife. Strangely enough there was no extensive paperwork, although I think they might have noted it in a ledger.

 

[wilkeliza]

In my state TSA confiscated items are part of Surplus Personal Property Auctions, along with law enforcement confiscated items, government surplus property, etc. The auctions take place every 6 weeks or so.

BTW, I understand Disneyland does something similar with lost and found items, at least they have in the past. Those sales are for employees only though. The CM's I was talking to disagreed on whether the sales are still being held or not, but both said they have gotten amazing deals in the past.

Cast Connection at WDW still exsists but they no loner sale camera and cell phones that I know of. I know a friend replaced one of his very first iPhones by buying one that had been left at lost and found for like $40 bucks. On goods of value that are lost you have to hold onto it for a certain amount of time before you sell it.

 

[mom2rtk]

Am I the only one shaking my head at the idea that a TSA employee would drink something confiscated because it might be a dangerous liquid?

 

[tvguy]

Am I the only one shaking my head at the idea that a TSA employee would drink something confiscated because it might be a dangerous liquid?

LOL. I've seen passengers refuse to hand over OR dispose of forbidden liquids, they chug them at the TSA checkpoint, or have too large a container of sunscreen with just a little in it, and sit there and apply it before going through the checkpoint.

 

[sunshinehighway]

Am I the only one shaking my head at the idea that a TSA employee would drink something confiscated because it might be a dangerous liquid?

You're not the only one. I think it just shows how some of these rules for flying are just security theater. If these liquids are potentially dangerous, isn't it dangerous to have people throwing them in bin next to a line of people?
The show I watched on confiscated items being sold showed all the snowglobes. I doubt they were tested to make sure they weren't dangerous.

 

[Lothlórien]

If they take something from you, they will give you the option (other than liquids) to pay to have it shipped to your house.

 

[Lothlórien]

You're not the only one. I think it just shows how some of these rules for flying are just security theater. If these liquids are potentially dangerous, isn't it dangerous to have people throwing them in bin next to a line of people?
The show I watched on confiscated items being sold showed all the snowglobes. I doubt they were tested to make sure they weren't dangerous.

I would like this comment 1000 times if I could.

 

[bcla]

You're not the only one. I think it just shows how some of these rules for flying are just security theater. If these liquids are potentially dangerous, isn't it dangerous to have people throwing them in bin next to a line of people?
The show I watched on confiscated items being sold showed all the snowglobes. I doubt they were tested to make sure they weren't dangerous.

No more dangerous than any number of things that could happen in the terminal. Someone walking around with a big bag full of dangerous items isn't likely to be searched walking past the ticketing areas. The whole idea of a peroxide bomb isn't really about making a liquid that will explode, although it might go poof in liquid form. It's about using liquid components that can be used to make a highly unstable powdered explosive. I'm pretty sure someone carrying a bag of ice (to cool the liquid mixture so it doesn't go poof) and spending hours in the lavatory is going to arouse some suspicion.

While yeah - most of this stuff is security theater, the main point of a security line is to prevent dangerous items from getting on the plane.

 

[sunshinehighway]

No more dangerous than any number of things that could happen in the terminal. Someone walking around with a big bag full of dangerous items isn't likely to be searched walking past the ticketing areas. The whole idea of a peroxide bomb isn't really about making a liquid that will explode, although it might go poof in liquid form. It's about using liquid components that can be used to make a highly unstable powdered explosive. I'm pretty sure someone carrying a bag of ice (to cool the liquid mixture so it doesn't go poof) and spending hours in the lavatory is going to arouse some suspicion.

While yeah - most of this stuff is security theater, the main point of a security line is to prevent dangerous items from getting on the plane.

Ugh.. Thanks for the lecture. It's super great that you are here to explain everything.

 

[bcla]

Ugh.. Thanks for the lecture. It's super great that you are here to explain everything.

You made a claim. You don't think it merits discussion? The whole security process isn't entirely without merit, even though there hasn't been a successful case where a peroxide bomb was made on board a plane or in the terminal past the security line. It's not particularly dangerous to have anyone toss this stuff in the trash, even if it was a liquid bomb component. And if someone is just targeting people in the terminal, tossing a liquid in the trash is a pretty ineffective way to do that.