[curlando]

Dominican security at airports will try to rob and steal from most individuals. The month of December is when the wolves come out.
I think their main purpose at the airport is to steal from tourist. I don’t speak spanish but I usually open my passport to show how many times I have visited the Dominican Republic and they leave me alone. Once they tried to keep my rechargeable batteries and I stood my ground and said no way. Another time a customs agent told me I had to pay him US $10.00. I told him I paid for the tourist card and I don’t have to pay no more.
I never had any problems at Puerto Plata airport. I have experienced the majority of problems at Santo Domingo airport.
My last trip to Dominican Republic was in Sept. 2008 and usually tourists are waved through SDQ customs. This time I was detained by Dominican customs and two English speaking guys walked over to me and searched my luggage and asked me if I was carrying US $10,000.00 into the country. I had a stack of one dollar bills in one of my bags. I told him he is welcome count it. Then, he continued with the questioning which I found intrusive and I found myself become irritated. They never introduced themselves but I think they were working with the US federal government.
My two friends arrived a day before me encountered the same two guys at SDQ customs and were asked the same questions.
I have visited the Dominican Republic over 30 times for the past five years and I look at these incidents as a learning experience and hazards of traveling to DR. Just like experiencing panhandlers, rude behavior, bad drivers, really carefully crossing a street, everyone have their hand out for a dollar (that’s why I carry about 50 one dollar bill) and hookers that loves me.
My experiences of clueless Dominicans, beautiful women, the pool parties, ribs at Rockys, hanging at Classicos, the climate, a few good friends and the 3 ½ hour flight three times a year for some fun a middle age guy will not experience in the US is worth it.
Basically, fun in the sun and what happens in DR stays in DR. These days I don’t even travel to DR for the women. I like meeting new people and hanging with my friends.
We are not promised tomorrow, so have some fun today and move on.