BajaNomad

"Magic Wand" drug detectors

Loretana - 3-16-2010 at 10:55 AM

I saw this in use at the military checkpoint south of Ensenada back in July. We asked one of the soldiers what the deal was, but they didn't want to talk about it. According to the NY Times article, it sounds like a waste of money.
:rolleyes: They only cost $20K each!

<<http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/16/world/americas/16mexico.html>>

DENNIS - 3-16-2010 at 11:05 AM

"But in November, at a checkpoint on the highway leading from Mexico City to Monterrey, the same device pointed at a Volkswagen containing a man, a woman and a child. Soldiers surrounded the vehicle and a search was conducted for illegal drugs. But all they found was a bottle of Tylenol — evidence, the soldier operating the device said, of how sensitive the GT 200 was."
---------------

What nonsense. I wonder who paid for these gizmos?

capt. mike - 3-16-2010 at 11:14 AM

remember when Jim gave Dwight a customs wand and labeled it as a "gay" detector.....when Dwight waived it over Oscar it went off....belt buckle of course..
then Dwight tested himself...same thing - belt buckle.
Dwight was pretty upset to learn he was gay.... not that there's anything wrong with that!

they used the nuclear sniffer on my plane sun in nogales.... new toy CBP and DHS has.
i told them they were wasting my time and theirs... i had no nukes on board....just my usual compliment of bunker busters 500 lb ers....:lol::!:

Bajahowodd - 3-16-2010 at 12:40 PM

Anyone wanna bet that the $10 mil spent on those magic wands didn't come from Uncle Sam via the Merida Initiative?? Looks like maybe the US hasn't cornered the market in overpaying for useless crap.:lol:

DENNIS - 3-16-2010 at 12:45 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by capt. mike
they used the nuclear sniffer on my plane sun in nogales.... new toy CBP and DHS has.
i told them they were wasting my time and theirs... i had no nukes on board....just my usual compliment of bunker busters 500 lb ers....:lol::!:


A while back, I drove an old beater pickup with a shell through the border. The guard asked me if I had any illegals buried in the back. I said no, I use my big truck for that.
He laughed so hard I think he peed his pants.
That, of course, was pre 911.

DianaT - 3-16-2010 at 12:49 PM

I remember that they were using those "Magic Wands" for a while, but has anyone seen one lately?

Dennis, that is really a good one. :lol::lol:

BajaGeoff - 3-16-2010 at 02:10 PM

Some friends were crossing back Sunday night from the San Felipe 250 and the wand went nuts when they were inspecting their truck. Apparently my friend Cindy had an MRI last week and the wand was detecting the residual radiation. Crazy.

DianaT - 3-16-2010 at 02:11 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by BajaGeoff
Some friends were crossing back Sunday night from the San Felipe 250 and the wand went nuts when they were inspecting their truck. Apparently my friend Cindy had an MRI last week and the wand was detecting the residual radiation. Crazy.


That is creepy in more ways than one! :o:o

Dave - 3-16-2010 at 02:54 PM

If they ever get down to around $20.00 I might buy one. Been looking for this 'killer' joint I misplaced 30 years ago.

Guess I'll go check the dirty clothes hamper...again.

Hook - 3-16-2010 at 02:59 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DianaT
I remember that they were using those "Magic Wands" for a while, but has anyone seen one lately?


They were using them in both directions when I crossed on the Santa Rosalia ferry in early December 2009.

I assumed it was an explosive detector, as they had dogs sniffing as well.

Pompano - 3-16-2010 at 03:18 PM

Not old news, just the same news.

The dogs, wand, helicopter, 25ft panga with marines, etc..have been all over the area shores for a week or so. Somebody reported a few bales on a Concepcion island beach. Again. It happens at least once a year. We don't know if this report was a hoax or not, nor do we care. The military come and search..and leave. No problems, very reserved of course...they are professionals, but very cordial folks. We invite them in for coffee or sodas with cookies. Use of a bathroom. Been going on for many, many years now. The only thing new..is the wand..which is rather cool.

nancyinpdx - 3-16-2010 at 07:55 PM

i hope they ban its use soon since it gives false positives. We could get minute amounts of drug residue on us or our stuff from anything even a hotel room, bathrooms, money, stepping on something, etc. I had a really scary run in with the cops in Mexico when I was innocent so the use of this device makes me very nervous.

Like this?????

bajaguy - 3-16-2010 at 08:12 PM

Look at the photo....anything like this??????

http://www.ministryoftruth.me.uk/2009/11/05/british-company-...

elgatoloco - 3-16-2010 at 08:24 PM

We have a friend who was crossing in his car via Sentri a few days ago and was sent to secondary because the detectors as you drive thru went off due to his having had gotten a recent injection of radiated dye as a follow up to a heart attack a few years ago.

irenemm - 3-16-2010 at 08:51 PM

they still use it north of santa tomas check point sometimes. have seen it many times and always find someone with medicine. except we always have tons of medicine for my husbands diabetics. high blood pressure and cholerstol. never have asked us. I do have a bottle of oxeycontin from an injury a few yeras ago and they still never ask us.

El Norte - 3-17-2010 at 03:57 PM

I was stopped at the checkpoint north of Santo Tomas in October. A soldier walked by my tow behind enclosed |ATV trailer with this device. I saw it deflect. That resulted in an hour long detailed inspection of the trailer which had nothing remarkable in it except an ATV and all sorts of materials bound for my los Barriles casita. My 2 sets of travel companions with similar rigs were waved on through and waited down the road. I always wondered what the device was until this thread. The only item which matches the information provided in the link posted by BajaGuy was 2 gerry cans of Diesel.

False Positives?

Bajahowodd - 3-17-2010 at 04:18 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by nancyinpdx
i hope they ban its use soon since it gives false positives. We could get minute amounts of drug residue on us or our stuff from anything even a hotel room, bathrooms, money, stepping on something, etc. I had a really scary run in with the cops in Mexico when I was innocent so the use of this device makes me very nervous.


Show me any technology that won't produce false positives. It goes with the territory. Don't care if you're talking about mammograms or PSI tests. It happens.