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Originally Posted by erlikhan
Jens, Turkish customs don't check most of the incoming passangers & bags. Even if they do, I know they mainly try to catch black money,drugs, electronics, phones, furs etc. If they see some raw ivory or rhino, of course they will seize them and will interrogate you. But none of the officers will doubt if an antique Turkish sword's hilt is original old or might be a Trojan horse used for ivory smuggling or something likewise. I don't have any hesitation about Turkish leg of the trip. If I tried to take a walrus hilted antique sword out of Turkey with me, I would probably get in trouble but not particularly because of the walrus hilt but because it can be categorized as a cultural national asset as a whole item.
I didn't get one thing. You say English officers always examined your swords. You declared the swords yourself at the check in counter ?
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Erlikhan, this is a very interesting subject for me. Because I always heard that it was next to impossible to bring any kind of blade with you to Turkey from abroad, antique or modern reproduction, because they were classified as weapon by Turkish custom office. I heard all kind of horror stories. And because of that I always hesitated to buy anything from my out-of-country trips. What is your experience with Turkish customs? Am I worried for no reason, that I can buy a sword and put it in my bag and return to Istanbul via airplane without any problems; or is is as bad as I'm told?