| Name of Complainant | |
| Date of Complaint | November 12, 2022 |
| Name(s) of companies complained against | Wienen Ergie |
| Category of complaint | Corruption |
| Permanent link of complaint | Right click to copy link |
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Arriving from Kathmandu with my wife we had 2 typical old souvenir Gourkha knives with little sharpening knives and leather scabbards in our big luggage. We had only a short relax stopover in Dubai in a 5-star hotel after a tough 3 weeks Trekking Tour in Himalaya. After the luggage scanner at 19h45 in Terminal 2, I was ordered by Mr. Saeed Achmed Mohammed to come aside and show the metal objects detected. He sent my wife away very authoritative and examined our souvenirs with great interest. He informed me, that I had to hand over those objects. I protested and told him, that you can by those souvenirs everywhere, also in Dubai so why are they taken away from travelling Tourists who spend a fair amount of money in Dubai. I am 62 years old and a senior manager of a government owned Energy Group and my wife is 57 years old and partner of an international Big Four Chartered Accountant Firm and we do not look like terrorists at all. We told him that we would prefer to deposit our old souvenirs at the airport or that we wish to find a solution, as we will soon continue our return to Austria. He was obviously more interested in the beautiful souvenirs than in finding a solution for the problem. His colleague gave clearly the impression, that he did not feel at ease with the procedure of his superior, Mr. Saeed. The objects were in a typical red bag from the bazar and I wanted to see my precious things again to make a photo and also to take the harmless items like the little sharpening tools and the leather scabbards. Mr. Saeed became increasingly aggressive and did not allow this. When I then started to make pictures at least of the bag/wrapping he became completely furious, took my mobile phone away and ordered me to destroy the photos. He then started to argue that I would not respect him and tried to distract the conflict into emotional sphere and personal allegations in order to completely make us feel insecure what comes next as an escalation and we felt all at sea. My wife waiting still in forced distance but anxiously watching and listening. Mr. Saeed then forced me to sign a form allowing that my objects will be taken and destroyed. He did not throw them in a typical bin for things to be destroyed but laid it in a shelf. This looked more than storing it for own private use or selling it on the market for himself. I therefore wanted to orderly complete the form prior to signing and I tried to insist but he said very sharp that it is not necessary to complete the A4-form sheet but I had to sign it. I protested again and said I want at least make a photo of the form which I am forced to sign blank which Mr. Saeed very firmly refused. Thus I gave up and signed it blank (!) in order to frighten my wife not more than she was already and in order to get away from this aggressive officer. I told him that I will formerly complain because of this extremely bad treatment and that I will also inform my government of this shameful treatment of paying guests. He became even more aggressive but at least I was allowed to leave. In my life I have never been humiliated in such a way and I am deeply concerned, that as visiting and paying guest of the luxury segment of a cibilized country one can be treated by government clerks in such an appealing manner like a chunk of dirt.
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