YardFlex.com: Rastafarian woman says Bermuda Customs treated her like a drug trafficker.

August 03, 2009

Rastafarian woman says Bermuda Customs treated her like a drug trafficker.

Following a recent visit to Bermuda, a Rastafarian woman has complained bitterly about the treatment she received by members of the Customs Department in that island.
“Bermuda is a beautiful island. The beaches are lovely, the food is great, and there are many places to do photo shoots. But I’m sorry to say Bermuda customs has left a negative taste in my mouth. They violated my human rights. They treated me like I was smuggling drugs into the country,” she told Yardflex in an interview this week.
According to her, she arrived in Bermuda, via Miami, on July 29 for what was a short visit to the island. As soon as she arrived, however, she was pulled out of the line for ‘special’ treatment.
“They interrogated me like a criminal and detained me from10:00 pm July 29 to about 1:00 am July 30. I and another person were the only ones left in the entire airport being questioned. I feel like the only reason they pulled me out the line was because, I’m a black female coming from Miami with dreadlocks. One gentleman went through my suitcase and even ran my computer through a scanner. He questioned me about some phone numbers I had written down on a piece of paper. I was so confused that I almost felt like I was lying to myself. I thought it was only people who got arrested for a crime only went through these procedures,” she told YardFlex.

She explained that a female customs officer accusing her of being friends with the other person who had been detained. “The other person whowas held with me was a black male adult. I met him on the plane coming to Bermuda. I never saw or knew him prior to my Bermuda trip,” she said.
After explaining to customs the she had a reservation at The Hamilton Princess Hotel and that her pick-up had arrived at he airport, they made their checks and later told her that there was no reservation in either her name or the name of her pick-up and that there was no-one there to receive her..
“I called my mom and she said my ride has been waiting for me since 8:30 pm. My mom and my ride were calling my phone constantly to find out what was going on, but I could not answer because the officer said we can’t use phones,” she reported.

According to the complainant, another officer went outside, found her ride and brought him in to claim her, but the female officer said he had to leave because he was not allowed in there.
After waiting for an hour, customs finally told her that the hotel reservation was in her friend’s business partners’ name. The female officer then returned with what our source describes as “a totally different attitude”.
“She was actually smiling. Telling me that all I had to tell her that I was a model”.
Despite the attitude change, however, the worst was yet to come as a ‘pat down’ was requested.
“She said I wouldn’t have to take off my clothes. She said I could appeal, but the process would be longer. I told her I just wanted to get it over with. She then told me to follow two women into a room. I had to take off all my clothing even my underwear. One of the ladies told me I can put my dress back on because they only need to see the bottom half. I felt like they were just humiliating me on purpose.. The lady then tells me to go into the corner, squat down like I was using the bathroom and cough. I felt so violated. My dignity was stripped from me. But I kept a smile on my face the whole time. I wouldn’t make them see me down,” she declared.

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August 03, 2009

Rastafarian woman says Bermuda Customs treated her like a drug trafficker.

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