Some people don’t understand the limits to a favor. If you ask me to take something on a plane, I am game, but I need a clear description of what it is and why this needs to happen.
After all, I am the one walking through customs with this weird box of surprises.
Redditor rainonmepanda encountered this very issue with her friend. So she turned to the “Am I The A**hole” (AITA) subReddit for moral judgment.
She asked:
“AITA for refusing to take my friends package with me internationally without opening and checking it first?”
The Original Poster (OP) explained:
“I will soon be flying to the other side of the world, and my friend asked me to take a package with me and deliver it to her friend who lives in the country I am flying to.”
“Now, I trust my friend with my life, but I told her that since it’s an international flight and taking unneeded risks is unwise. I would appreciate it if I can open the package, with her present, and look through it just to make sure there’s nothing ‘undesirable’ in it.”
“My friend immediately gets offended, and she even starts yelling at me, telling me how she can’t believe that I don’t trust her, and that I am invading her privacy.”
OP’s friend took it personally.
“She told me I’m being selfish and paranoid, and that she won’t let me see inside the package because it has ‘sensitive content.’”
“That ended up freaking me out more so I told her that I can’t do it if I can’t make sure it’s safe, and that I’m sorry.”
“She started to cry and left the room. She later left me a text saying I’m selfish and that she doesn’t want to talk to me anymore.”
“While I feel bad, I have heard all kinds of stories and I don’t want to put into a position where I am responsible for whatever ‘sensitive content’ in her package.”
“Reddit, AITA?”
OP added some edits.
“Edit1: a comment here made me want to add more context. I trust my friend a lot, but I should mention that my friend is known to cultivate weed and then store them in spice jars.”
“I could have sworn I heard noises of glass in the package and she has joked before that she could smuggle weed disguised as a spice or herb or something and that ‘they wouldn’t know a thing.'”
“I do trust her, but I just want peace of mind you know. I’m sad she’s offended but I just wish she could understand my POV.”
Redditors gave their opinions on the situation by declaring:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You’re The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
Redditors were conflicted about who was at fault.
“NTA – major red flag. Don’t fucking do it.” ~ FeralHat
“This! A woman in South Africa was arrested in the year 1992, I think. A friend of hers gave her a package that had ‘books.'”
“Turns out on the seal of the books there was cocaine hidden. She got arrested in Bangkok. She gave birth there as she was pregnant. Spent 25 years there because she didn’t check what was in the package her friend gave her.” ~ BeginningReasonable9
“Yeah, I hate to be a Paranoid Patty, but my first thought was that OP could get in serious legal trouble internationally because of her friend trying to sneak something over on her and thinking ‘it’s not a big deal.’”
“The problem is, in many countries, it is, in fact, a big deal. NTA.” ~ PNKAlumna
“In some countries depending on what you’re trying to bring in, it could end up with you getting a death sentence.”
“Edit: NTA” ~ Oh_No_Its_Dudder
“My sister flew to the ME a few years back, on the customs declaration it stated, in big letters, ‘Drug Smuggling carries the penalty of death.'”
“NTA I ain’t taking shit through customs I haven’t looked at with my own two eyes. I’m not going to prison for someone else’s shit.” ~ araed
“Yeah they really go with the ‘f*ck around and find out’ philosophy. I travelled by train from Singapore to Thailand years ago and guards get on at almost every stop and they are not playing – there are signs everywhere so ‘I didn’t know’ is not a valid excuse.” ~ Jay-Dee-British
“Ya OP, listen to the people saying not to do it. Assuming you’re flying from North America (where weed cultivation is legalized) to Asia/South East Asia, the punishment for carrying drugs (which weed is considered a part of) can range from severe jail sentences to caning to even the death sentence (usually for harder drugs but you never know).”
“Don’t fucking risk it, no friendship is worth that kind of risk especially when it sounds like she’s now trying to guilt you into agreeing by saying she’ll ‘never talk to you again.'” ~ wnt23A
OP added even more updates.
“Edit2: Wow! I woke up to so much engagement in this post!”
“Thank you all for your replies and assuring me I’m NTA! And thanks for the awards! As for updates, my friend hasn’t spoken to me since the incident and has had a message delivered to me via mutual friend saying the only way she’ll talk to me is if I take this package from her, and ‘trust in our friendship.'”
“However, I heard from my other friend that the person I was supposed to deliver the package to has a reputation involving drugs, and while we didn’t get into details my friend just said ‘and not for using them.'”
“I don’t want to accuse anyone of anything, rumors fly and innocent until proven guilty, but I am definitely not taking that package anymore, unless I can get a pretty good look at it.”
“Edit3: I just saw a comment asking me if I know a Jason who stores Olives in his fridge, I replied this to them: ‘Sorry for replying late! Funny enough, her boyfriends name is Jason! Fun fact to enhance this story, he loves a show called breaking bad so bad that he legally gave himself the middle name Walter! But sadly I do not know if they keep their olives refrigerated.’”
“I just read the story in question about Jason and his refrigerated olives, there may be a connection!”
“But then again, most likely not. I’ll try my best to do some digging (but if I’m being honest, I’m kind of freaked out enough by the situation to avoid ‘investigating’ anything for my own safety) and I’ll update this story as long as you guys are interested! Once again thank you all!”
You can’t take random packages across the world.
That is not safe.