Romania metal detecting question.

[JustKeepDigging]

Hello all! I had a quick question in regards to metal detecting in Romania. My fathers side of the family lives in Romania and they own a bunch of land. They told me to just buy a ticket and I could detect all I wanted. Now, I read online that it may be illegal? Is that so even if I'm on my own land? What's the best way going about this?

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

The problem might be when you go through customs and have to declare the contents of your luggage..

What is your source ? I mean, sheesk, metal detectors get used for a variety of other uses too: Finding nails in logs (so you don't mess up saw blades), security at events, finding lost jewelry, looking for modern objects that don't fall under cultural heritage, for use on private land which is outside the scope of laws applying to private land, etc...

I don't disagree that there are some places where the mere possession of one could be a no-no. If an ENTIRE COUNTRY is within that, then do you have some link to show that ? I have not flown outside of the USA. But, just from the state-to-state flying I've done here, and seeing the scrutiny they do at the baggage check, they are NOT opening your luggage, and ruffling through your underwear compartment, etc... They are concerned about explosives, weapons, and drugs I would think.

I'll tell you what I'll do: My sister in law works for one of the largest travel agents in the country. Based out of Texas. They handle all the inter-continental travel of many of the fortune 500 companies, celebrities, etc..... I will pose this question on her, if she knows of ANY country in the world, that travel into forbids the possession of a metal detector. Ok ?

I will report back to the forum.

 

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[JustKeepDigging]

My family literally found these in the field when planting crops, thus the reason I wanna detect the land lol!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

I got the impression that being a foreigner and just owning one in that country without a permit was illegal. ....

Ok, I'll bite: Where did you get that "impression" ? And why would there be a distinction between who could swing a detector ? Ie.: "foreigner" vs "local person". Is someone coming up to a dude in a potato field checking to see if he a Romanian versus an American ? From a distance, they're both caucasian , so who's out there checking ID's, etc... ?

People throw out the "I heard it's illegal to detect hither or yonder". And just that MERE ASSERTION seems to be taken as gospel truth . Because someone says "they heard that". Then sure enough, links lead to links, where people assume it's true "because someone heard it" 20-links-ago. Until you ask "where is that written?". Then you hear the sound of crickets. So I ask you: Where did you get this info ?

 

[WaterScoop]

Tom,

Have you ever had the displeasure of going thru customs in a post communist era country. I’m telling you brother it’s nothing like TSA!

PEOPLE to this day pack bribe packages that the custom “officials” can take as a gift to look the other way. In the old days they used cartons of cigarettes

I’m telling Romania is not United States of America. Before the communist regime fell Romania was very much like North Korea. It’s hard for one to identify bitter when all their life they have experiniced only sweetness. I for one tasted bitter and the sweetness is so much better.

I wish there was a way for me to make you “see” that your belief is correct however the Easten Block countries still operate under a milder form of an Iron Curtain today. Look at Eukraine and Russia and the poisoning of political leaders..

I will give you even worst logical thinking then Corrupt officials. Try to go to Saudi Arabia and book a room in a hotel with a girlfriend if one is not married. I’m sure you know what will happen. That type of behavior is laughable in US but not there. Other countries have laws that we may laugh at but if we do not acknowledge their laws while In their country then we will be subject to their harsh punishments.

Have you ever watched the midnight express?




Cheers

 

[Tom_in_CA]

... Have you ever had the displeasure of going thru customs in a post communist era country. ....

Everything you're saying (corruption , TSA, etc...) is entirely true. IF we start with the premise that "having a metal detector in your cargo suitcase = illegal". Then ... sure. But you're merely assuming this is the default premise. Why ? If that's true, then sure, by all means, don't have a detector in your luggage. But ........ is that true ?

I am still waiting to see such a rule or law that a detector in your cargo luggage is illegal. I don't doubt there's spots in Romania you can't swing a detector (so too can the same be said of the USA). We're talking about your luggage. Right ?

 

[maipenrai]

Tom, I understand where your coming from, and agree with Most of your post, But Romania is not Kansas. I wouldnt recommend to anyone taking a detector to another country, although the idea sounds exciting. Things can happen, that we could never imagine. I would check with someone from that country, before taking a chance, and even then we could get it wrong. Just think, if a Romanian asked an American, if he could metal detect in the States. The answer would have to be a ten page document and it still wouldnt cover everything. I am asked often, if someone can detect in Thailand, sure, beach detecting is pretty much ok, but if the police had a bad day, he could come up with a law that says no detecting allowed, so maybe you lose your machine or pay a fine, which is most likely. I can imagine, if you take the detector back out of the country, and a pocket full of rare coins, you might end up doing time, losing your machine, losing the coins. Maybe nothing will happen, but is it worth it to take a chance, i dont think so.

 

[WaterScoop]

Everything you're saying (corruption , TSA, etc...) is entirely true. IF we start with the premise that "having a metal detector in your cargo suitcase = illegal". Then ... sure. But you're merely assuming this is the default premise. Why ? If that's true, then sure, by all means, don't have a detector in your luggage. But ........ is that true ?

I am still waiting to see such a rule or law that a detector in your cargo luggage is illegal. I don't doubt there's spots in Romania you can't swing a detector (so too can the same be said of the USA). We're talking about your luggage. Right ?

You are right Tom. I say you try it and let me know how it goes for you. Based on my personal experience of once bitten I will continue to remain twice shy.

No hard feelings either I respect your point of view THAT is what makes this country amazing. We both can have a say without the fear of persecution.

I wish you nothing but the best in 2018

 

[WaterScoop]

Tom, I understand where your coming from, and agree with Most of your post, But Romania is not Kansas. I wouldnt recommend to anyone taking a detector to another country, although the idea sounds exciting. Things can happen, that we could never imagine. I would check with someone from that country, before taking a chance, and even then we could get it wrong. Just think, if a Romanian asked an American, if he could metal detect in the States. The answer would have to be a ten page document and it still wouldnt cover everything. I am asked often, if someone can detect in Thailand, sure, beach detecting is pretty much ok, but if the police had a bad day, he could come up with a law that says no detecting allowed, so maybe you lose your machine or pay a fine, which is most likely. I can imagine, if you take the detector back out of the country, and a pocket full of rare coins, you might end up doing time, losing your machine, losing the coins. Maybe nothing will happen, but is it worth it to take a chance, i dont think so.

I Feel our connection.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Tom, I understand where your coming from, and agree with Most of your post, But Romania is not Kansas. I wouldnt recommend to anyone taking a detector to another country, although the idea sounds exciting. Things can happen, that we could never imagine. I would check with someone from that country, before taking a chance, and even then we could get it wrong. Just think, if a Romanian asked an American, if he could metal detect in the States. The answer would have to be a ten page document and it still wouldnt cover everything. I am asked often, if someone can detect in Thailand, sure, beach detecting is pretty much ok, but if the police had a bad day, he could come up with a law that says no detecting allowed, so maybe you lose your machine or pay a fine, which is most likely. I can imagine, if you take the detector back out of the country, and a pocket full of rare coins, you might end up doing time, losing your machine, losing the coins. Maybe nothing will happen, but is it worth it to take a chance, i dont think so.

Waterscoop and maipenrai, well ... sure ... *Anything* could happen. All that you say could apply to any single activity that someone could do while traveling to Romania, or any non-westernized 3rd world type -country. Ie.: corrupt officials inventing laws on the spot, etc... So ... why travel at all , anywhere on earth except Kansas, to do any activity whatsoever ?

I'm still looking long & hard at the replies here, but .... still not seeing any reference to a law for Romania as it regards detectors & detecting. And not just catch-all cultural heritage type stuff (so too does the USA and Britain have such verbiage), but rather: Something that says border to border, all land, and even simple possession, etc... As of yet, no one's cited any such thing. Instead it's all been about corruption, don't drink the water, and other such safe travel sort of advice that .... YES ... would apply to any non-western country someone would visit.

 

[pepperj]

Since when is mere possession of a metal detector , in any flight, in stow-away luggage in the cargo-hold, illegal ? Any more so than any other item of electronics that people nowadays have scores of (computers, musical devices, medical gear, etc...). I can think of places where you're not supposed to be in possession of one (historical monuments, or whatever). But in cargo , disassembled, I can not think of any airline rule that says anything, to any destination, as "no detectors". If someone has something to the contrary, I would love to see it.

Seems to me that the objective of baggage screening is drugs and weapons.

But if you're still skittish: You could always simply ship it to yourself via mailing. And it would be treated as any one of a million electronic objects that are shipped daily , in normal mail, around the world. Just take the batteries out so it doesn't accidentally turn on during shipment, haha

Try storing your detector in the luggage and go detecting in Cuba. Oh right you would have to jump through hoops to go there and if you did it's illegal to detect. I would love to be a fly on the wall listening to your GREY logical answers when trying to explain it looking out of a cold damp cement room.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

In the early 1990s, I was planning a detecting trip, to ruins and pueblos in the high mountains and deserts of Mexico. Talked to a few metal detecting club buddies about the plans, and got very similar sounding admonitions. Ie.: questions of "is it legal there ?" and "can you cross the border?" and "don't do it, corruption in rampant, laws invented on the spot, etc...."

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Try storing your detector in the luggage and go detecting in Cuba. Oh right you can't go there and if you did it's illegal to detect. I would love to be a fly on the wall listening to your GREY logical answers when trying to explain it looking out of a cold damp cement room.

Hi pepperj, the topic here is Romania. Not cuba. By all means Cuba is an interesting one as well. It's come up on other threads as I recall. And ... sure .... perhaps some country does indeed have such a rule, border to border, even mere possession. If you start a thread about Cuba, I'd chime in on that. But this is about Romania.

And everything else you say (about the 'cold damp cement room jail', etc...) is all true, if we start with a simple premise: That detecting there is illegal. If that's true, then sure: everything else you say does indeed logically follow. Ok, I'll bite: Got a reference or link to the law ?

 

[pepperj]

Hi pepperj, the topic here is Romania. Not cuba. By all means Cuba is an interesting one as well. It's come up on other threads as I recall. And ... sure .... perhaps some country does indeed have such a rule, border to border, even mere possession. If you start a thread about Cuba, I'd chime in on that. But this is about Romania.

And everything else you say (about the 'cold damp cement room jail', etc...) is all true, if we start with a simple premise: That detecting there is illegal. If that's true, then sure: everything else you say does indeed logically follow. Ok, I'll bite: Got a reference or link to the law ?

No just from asking when I went there, simple no, and a extra look through the screening area.
Saying to just throw something into the checked luggage doesn't give somebody the green light to bring the detector into a country.
If some customs agent likes the device there's no jumping up and down that will get it back. Seriously who is going to start arguing with a person that has the potential to be a hard arse and throw ones butt in a cell.
Travelled enough to know that the person stamping the passport is the ruler of my well being at that moment. Life can be easy or hard at that very moment.
Have you ever been through a customs check where the flag/emblem on the passport means the difference between a smile or getting the toothpaste squeezed from the tube?

 

[maipenrai]

Ireland also has some very strict laws, NO Metal detecting! We seem to be so used to hearing of Great finds in the UK, but Ireland is Not the UK. I have an Irish buddy that told me it was not allowed, but I wasnt quite sure, so just checked it out. Sweden is another country that has strict laws. You need permission from the county, and need to have maps of where you intend to hunt, and im sure you would lose your detector, if you came up with a story of looking for your grannies lost ring.
As far as shipping your detector, and have it waiting for you, when you arrive, you might

 

[maipenrai]

As far as shipping your detector, and have it waiting for you, when you get there, you might have a big tax bill waiting for you, or it could be delayed or lost. Yes, im a pessimist, especially when dealing with boarder formalities, too much can go wrong!

 

[maipenrai]

Im surprised, that no one has just googled Metal detecting in Romania, and any other country that may be of interest.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

No just from asking when I went there, simple no, ....

Ok, I think we have 2 issues going on in the discussion : 1) a metal detector in your luggage, versus 2) the act of metal detecting when you get there.

It seems that your post #33 is addressing the import/luggage issue. Right ? If so: did their answer come via your A) asking ahead of time : "Can I bring a metal detector in my luggage?", or was that B) a routine inspection that all airline travelers get, where you stated that you had a detector ?

If it was via (B), then I agree no one can argue with that. Even if arbitrary and based on no actual rule, I agree that you'd be on the loosing end of trying to argue with them. However if it was via (A), then perhaps you were the latest victim of "no one cared till you ask?" psychology ? I dunno.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

But back to the issue of detecting , in general, in Romania, here's a new bug for you guys: I just did a search on Minelab, Fisher, and Whites for their dealer listings around the world. Minelab & Whites have dealers in Romania. Fisher has at least two listed in Romania.

Ok, I'll bite: If a detector can't arrive by airline, then ...... how did the detector get to those dealers/distributors ? Driven across the border ? Ok, fine, then what's to stop you from driving in from another part of Europe ? The mere fact these distributors/dealers can get their stock there, shows they HAD to enter the country SOMEHOW, right ?

And this also comes back to the other question of : Is detecting legal there in the first place. Uh ... how could there be dealers there, if you can't use them ? I mean *presumably* they're being sold for lawful purposes, eh ?

 

[PullTabSlayer]

I think the answer is a simple one, don't do it!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Im surprised, that no one has just googled Metal detecting in Romania, and any other country that may be of interest.

Maipenrai, I have done this over and over, whenever the subject of various countries comes up. And ... humorously ... you will invariably find people who've detected there. And someone else coming on and saying "I thought it was illegal there?". The md'r might say "we asked at the hotel and they said 'go ahead' " . Or "we never had a problem", etc...

And as for this thread: Yes I googled that. And yes I found ample posts of persons doing show & tell from Romania. Even youtube videos. But this will always fall on deaf ears for the skittish folks: They will just say something like "maybe they didn't get caught" etc.... But at a certain point, if there are hobbyists (not hiding) and dealers, you have to ask yourself if you're not over-thinking it.