‘A 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 Atertt pills were found 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 NIS 30,000. “The Georgians simply found a cynical way to exploit tourists. We have to stop this, we must not stay silent,” said Asaf Vaknin, mako.

Michael Surpin, 29, from Beersheba, a startup developer by profession, could not believe that the birthday trip he planned with his partner would turn into a major nightmare. 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 the two had planned and looked forward to for a long time. Upon landing at the Georgian airport, the two Israelis were stopped 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 recalled in a conversation with mako. “I showed them the Atertt pills I take, of course with a prescription and everything approved. I’ve been taking these pills for 12 years, and I explained that to them.”

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

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

Michael’s passport was taken, and he and Achinoam arrived at the hotel they had booked after the police released them at the end of the detention and questioning. “They told us to stay in touch with them and that we had to remain in the city until the laboratory results arrived for the pills they sent. Even though we were released, the uncertainty destroyed me. I didn’t know what would happen to me or how this would end, but we kept trying to do a bit of sightseeing in the city 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 ordeal, but without success. “Only after a week did they tell my lawyer there was an agreement 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 before the judge. In the end, I was fined NIS 27,500, which I had to pay within about a week, and if not, I would have been declared wanted by the local authorities. It wasn’t easy, but we tried to arrange the money as quickly as possible and settle it with the Georgians just so we could return to Israel with peace of mind.”

After an exhausting 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 mafia to me.”

These days, Michael has launched a crowdfunding campaign after being forced to spend about NIS 50,000 out of pocket for all the expenses, and says he will raise funds to fight the phenomenon. “This has to stop. I call on anyone who has been affected by 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

Last February we reported on two Israelis who were making a connecting flight through Georgia and were detained in the country because medication they take was found in their suitcase. To be released, a court imposed a fine of about NIS 1 million for both of them, and if they did not pay they would spend years in prison. “There is a feeling that they are exploiting the situation and turning it into a business,” 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 didn’t let me go home,” he said at the time.

As early as last December, following a rise in arrests in Georgia, the Foreign Ministry issued a warning: “In recent times there have been cases in which Israeli tourists were detained upon entering Georgia because their luggage contained medications that are not permitted to be brought into the country or large quantities of pills, 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 delay at border control, arrest, heavy fines, registration in the local system, and even a future ban on entry to Georgia.”

The ministry issued several guidelines to check before traveling: make sure the medications in your possession are permitted for use in Georgia. Make sure the quantity of pills is allowed to be brought into Georgia, even when the medication does not require a prescription. 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 together with a notary stamp. It is recommended to carry the medications in your hand luggage, together with the prescriptions and relevant medical documents. Do not bring medications into Georgia in quantities exceeding what is needed for personal use only. In case of doubt, it is recommended to contact the Georgian Embassy in Israel for clarification and consultation.