Held Hostage by Argentine Customs

Starting on August 14th, Argentinian customs held us and our trucks hostage while we worked and worked to jump through their hoops to get them back. As one of the top most corrupt countries in the world, Argentina did a good job of reinforcing its reputation.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• argentina
• customs
• aduanas
• travel
• south
• america
• latin
• adventure
• toyota
• driving
• overland

[TheWorldbyRoad]

I had an incredible time while we were stuck there and we received a ton of help from good people, and overcame the system without paying any bribes. It was frustrating, but the scarier thing about the world is that people like all of you exist with your negativity.

I am not sure how one might get that we are stupid after all that we have accomplished, but to each their own. I would appreciate it if you would refrain from commenting here if would like to breed that kind of conversation.

[TheWorldbyRoad]

To all of the negative comments, this bribe was not some small amount like $200. These guys were asking for $1600. We are not niave or stupid, that is why we made it through 69 countries around the world overland, some of which were far more corrupt than Argentina.

There are some incredible people down there who will eventually weed out the bad ones, but so you all know, we never ended up paying a bribe, it just took us a while to get the trucks.

[homosuperior]

Argentina is a great country full of wonderful people but unfortunately not a great place for foreigners to do business. Your experience was not atypical. I worked at a hostel and met two older travelers who thought it would be a great idea to bring their car from Germany. They didn't end up paying a bribe, they did end up paying far more than was normal and it took two weeks. Delaying a trip by two weeks for working folks who only had a month and a half..not a great welcome to South America.

[nexxo]

@nexxo OK it's not right to do but Hey! this a not a right country for ages now and you guys coming from outside for a short time can't and will not change it anyway so in resume what you did to yourselves was to create your own troubles in hiring a conman in the first place who probably sold you off.

[nexxo]

@nexxo

Probably the same native guy who was doing the paperwork for you was arranged with the inside people to rip-off you all. It should be better to pay the bloody bribe 'coima' under the table and get on with life, that is what the people here do.

[nexxo]

Guys, first welcome and second you guys are naive or plain stupid, one or the other.

You can't go against the grain, this is not USA you are Yankees in Latin America and the perseption is that you have dollars to burn, well that's at least what they think be wrong or right, WTF are you expecting? This custom thing here is one of the most corrupts snake pits in this society nor only for you foreigners but for the people born and breed here.

..continue next post

[inzuzi]

2 days - that's delay, my friend. 2 months - it's a crime! :)

If I want to chill I drink beer, not ruin someone's life.