In Reply to: vitamins posted by ali13t on Sunday, 20. February 2005 at 13:00 Bali Time:
I take a number of natural health and fitness supplements and would not be without them. I have taken them to Bali with me on a number of occasions without any problems. I always declare them and, up until last August, have always been waved through.
Last August, we were escorted into a customs officer's office. He suggested that they may be "travellers' samples" and that we may be intending to do business there. I said that the manufacturer does not operate in Indonesia [true] so we could not be looking for business.
Then he told me that Indonesia has strict regulations on natural health products. I said so does Australia and every product has the Australian TGA approval number on the pack. Then he asked me the value and I said that is irrelevant because they are only for our own use.
The fact is he was just trying to get money out of me. I knew that was not justified and he knew that I knew. We kept the conversation on a friendly, almost joking footing. He finished up getting nothing and we parted friends. Next time we go we will take our supplements with us same as we have always done.
I buy plenty of things in Bali, but I would only stick to the brand of supplements that I know and trust.