“My Birthday Vacation Turned Into a Nightmare”: Israeli Detained at Airport Abroad

Michael and his partner arrived in Georgia for a vacation and found themselves in an ongoing nightmare after Adderall pills were discovered in their suitcase. Michael’s passport was taken from him, and in order for the two to return to Israel, they were forced to pay nearly 30,000 shekels.

Michael Surpin, 29, from Beersheba, a startup developer by profession, never imagined that the birthday trip he planned with his partner would turn into a major ordeal. About a month ago, Michael and his partner, Achinoam, boarded a flight from Israel to Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, for a couple’s vacation they had planned and looked forward to for a long time. Upon landing at the Georgian airport, the two Israelis were detained by local security personnel for an inspection of their personal belongings.

“They took us to a separate room and checked everything that was in our bags and suitcases,” Michael recalls in a conversation with mako. “I showed them the Adderall pills I take, with a prescription of course, and everything is approved. These are pills I’ve been taking for 12 years, and I explained that to them as well.”

At that point, one of the security officers approached Michael and claimed it would cost him thousands of dollars. “He said it was forbidden here and it was a shame I don’t read the laws of a country I’m entering. I explained to him that I had read carefully and it says that up to 30 pills are allowed with a prescription, and the pills were also in a sealed box. They saw exactly what they contain and what they are for, it’s a medical issue, and I tried with all my strength to explain to them how important Adderall is for me.”

After consulting with relatives, Michael hired a local lawyer to help him deal with the Georgian authorities. “She understood the situation very well and it seems she already knows the pattern here. Quite a few Israelis contacted her and asked for her help as soon as they were arrested here with medication.”

Michael’s passport was taken, and he and Achinoam arrived at the hotel they had booked after police released them following the detention and questioning. “They told us to stay in touch with them and that we had to remain in the city until the lab results came back for the pills they sent. Even though we were released, the uncertainty broke me. I didn’t know what would happen to me or how it would end, but we continued trying to tour the city a little despite everything that happened.”

For about a week, the two Israelis went to the local police station in an attempt to speed up the process and end the matter, but without success. “Only after a week did they tell my lawyer that there was an arrangement that could be reached with the prosecutor’s office,” Michael says. “We decided to go for it, and the lawyer instructed me exactly what to say in court and how to act in front of the judge. In the end, I was fined 27,500 shekels, which I had to pay within about a week, and if not, I would have been classified by the local authorities as wanted. It wasn’t easy, but we tried to gather the money as quickly as possible and settle it with the Georgians just to return to Israel with peace of mind.”

After a nerve-racking week, the two returned to Israel with an experience they will never forget. “My birthday vacation turned into one big nightmare. The Georgians simply found a cynical way to exploit tourists, everything felt like a mafia to me.”

These days, Michael has launched a crowdfunding campaign after being forced to spend about 50,000 shekels out of pocket for all the expenses, and he stresses that he will raise funds for the fight against the phenomenon. “This has to stop. I call on anyone who has been harmed in a similar incident to contact me and put an end to what is happening at that airport, we must not stay silent about it.”

The Foreign Ministry warns: pay attention to what is in your suitcase. In February, we reported on two Israelis who made a connecting flight through Georgia and were arrested in the country because medications they take were found in their suitcase. To be released, a court imposed a fine of about one million shekels on the two of them, and if they did not pay, they would spend years in prison. “There is a feeling that they are taking advantage of the situation and making business out of it,” they said.

In another case, Shlomi, a resident of central Israel, was detained at the airport in Georgia after pills of a well-known medication taken with a prescription were found in his suitcase. “They did not let me go home,” he said at the time.

As early as last December, following the increase in arrests in Georgia, the Foreign Ministry issued a warning: “In recent periods, there have been cases in which Israeli tourists were arrested upon entering Georgia because their luggage contained medications that are not permitted to be brought into the country, or pills in large quantities, including medications sold in Israel without a prescription. Georgian border authorities strictly enforce the legislation on medications, and possession of prohibited medications may lead to delays at border control, arrest, heavy fines, registration in the local system, and even a future entry ban to Georgia.”

The ministry published several guidelines to check before traveling: that the medications in your possession are permitted for use in Georgia; that the amount of pills is allowed to be brought into Georgia, even when the medication is over the counter; that you can consult the list of medications published by the Georgian authorities. If there is a medical need for a medication that appears on the list, you should have a doctor’s prescription in English, even for medications that do not require a prescription in Israel. Translate the medical prescription into English with a notary stamp. It is recommended to carry the medications in hand luggage, together with the prescriptions and relevant medical documents. Do not bring medications into Georgia in quantities beyond what is required for personal use only. In case of doubt, it is recommended to contact the Embassy of Georgia in Israel for clarification and consultation.